Jorōgumo
by AmniIsRoving
Summary: Uzumaki Naruto's world changed when he was befriended by the often silent and introspective Aburame Shino. With new mentors, a great best friend backed by family and clan, and a whirlwind of chakra, allies and enemies, Uzumaki Naruto will leave behind a legacy of great renown. Uzumaki Naruto will become the greatest ninja assassin, also known as Jorōgumo! (W: OOC, MxM, OC)
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hi! I finally stumbled upon the world of Naruto fanfiction, entering it with trepidation. However, I admit to need a beta. If anyone is interested, let me know!

Summary: Uzumaki Naruto's world changed when he was befriended by the often silent and introspective Aburame Shino. With new mentors, a great best friend backed by family and clan, and a whirlwind of chakra, allies and enemies, Uzumaki Naruto will leave behind a legacy of great renown. Uzumaki Naruto will become the greatest ninja assassin, also known as Jorōgumo! (W: OOC, MxM, OC)

Rating: AT+ to M (dependent on chapter, however, there will be no sexual scenes on , if they are ever included in the story they will appear on my AO3 account under the same name.)

Warnings: This story will include several things that can be considered explicit to sensitive readers. It will include OOC, OC, slash and het. It will be canonical in some manners, however drastically AU in others. If you are looking for a general fanfiction, I would not consider this one. Quite frankly, I approve of the darker reality of the Ninja world and enjoy slapping sense into characters. There is minor bashing, as well what I like to call 'recalibrating' of idiots. Flames will be donated to Will of Fire and Kurama, the Kyuubi.

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Naruto franchise, it belongs solely to the author and his manga/anime affiliates. This is a free service to other fans of the work, it is not intended or allowed for any type of sale or bartering. I, the fanfiction writer of this piece, declare no intended purpose outside of the enjoyment of working with this world.

* * *

Jorōgumo

* * *

**Chapter 1:**

Enter, Ninja of Hard Work and Genius, Uzumaki Naruto!

I'll prove I'm a Ninja!

* * *

Aburame Shino watched the blond in interest as he spaced out once more. He didn't really stand out that much, his small form hunched next to a bed of weedy flowers. The blond sat stilly as he watched a butterfly flutter gently between the different blooms before tentatively holding a finger out, his face serious. Shino watched in amazement as the bug landed on the boy's finger and the formerly somber face broke out in a wide encompassing grin. It painfully reminded him of his former adoptive brother Torune, the slightly older boy having left Shino to join ROOT in his place. Maybe it was this familiarity that led him to forge one of the strongest bonds of his life with one of the truly best people he'd ever know, especially after watching Naruto's simple act of kindness, something that the Aburame heir approved of mightily.

It was this friendship that dramatically altered the life of Konohagakure's greatest reject and hero as well as saved the greatest failure of the Yondaime Hokage's short fatherhood, Uzumaki Naruto.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto was a very quiet boy due to years of heavy reprimand from the orphanage matron and other villagers whether he was good or bad. While he didn't understand why he was treated so, he suspected there was something about him that people just didn't like. There were some that just avoided him on principle, but did that with all children under a certain age, and others who avoided him while glaring from a distance. Most children were dragged away from the blond by their parents or encouraged to pick on him, though he couldn't guess the reason, having never talked to them or hurt them in anyway. It, however, seeded a bit of rebelliousness and resentment in him. The only real things that didn't seem to be bothered by him were bugs; he found spiders to be particularly interesting with their webs.

Gently shooing the butterfly off, he watched it flutter around, eventually being joined by a few of its fellows, before looking down at the beetles and other crawling insects with interest. The ants caught his eye and he followed their tidy little line back to a small mound. Studying it for a moment he almost missed the sudden charge of another boy playing tag towards the mound. Throwing himself carefully over the little pile of dirt he allowed the boy to slam into him and fall over away from the anthill, saving it.

"Ouch!" The boy said his blue-black hair falling over his face. "What was that for?!" He shouted at the blond as he merely glared at him silently. He blinked in surprise, however, when a shadow of another person appeared between them.

"Why?" the shadow's voice cut in, "because you were about to hit an ant mound. Thus you were about to kill them. He then decided that his hurt was less than the loss of the mound and the lives of innocent insects you were about to hurt." Naruto glanced up at his surprising defendant and recognized the boy from his school, and more specifically in his class, Aburame or something like that, the only boy quieter than him. The offended boy huffed and merely got up and left. Naruto leaned back and carefully backed away from the mound making sure not to interfere with the little line of ants as they headed back to the small hole.

"Thanks," Naruto said awkwardly after a few minutes of awkward silence, neither used to talking or interacting with others their age. Both were very used to silence, one out of general necessity and dispositioin, the other due to enforced training from rather belligerent caretakers.

"No thanks needed." The boy said monotonously. Naruto cocked his head to the side to study the other boy. He wore a loose, long sleeve, dark gray shirt, the sleeve hems could be seen under his jacket, and black pants with similar colored sandals. He had dark brown hair that stuck up a bit though not as spikey as Naruto's and was covered by the hood of the tan jacket he wore. The boy stared at him behind black, oval shaped lenses and Naruto, curious and unashamed, stared back.

"Uzumaki Naruto," he offered, giving the taller boy his hand.

"Aburame Shino," he replied taking it and shaking it firmly.

"Want to join me in finding beetles?" Naruto asked, a bright grin forming on his face when the other boy nodded. The other boy helped him up and led him into the grass naming the bugs they found with precision. Feeling a spot in his chest squeeze, Naruto wondered if this was what having friends was like.

* * *

Aburame Shibi wasn't exactly sure how his son and heir became friends with the social outcast and universally (at least in most of Konoha) despised jinchuriki but he was pleasantly surprised nonetheless. The blond, unlike his mother (although he had her stamina and energy), was rather quiet, if a bit spacey at times. He was a bit shy as well and unused to adults, as well as skittish around them. That part of his personality worried him and his wife, though they never brought it up with either of the children giving them positive attention. Like a feral cat, Naruto had slowly come to accept them, and even allowed his wife to hug him on the odd occasion now.

Currently, the boy was with Shino looking over the first of Shino's many insect colonies. While members of the Aburame clan were immediately given to the kikaichu upon birth, extra insects were kept either as a back up if a colony was killed off partially or totally and for specific breeding and strengthening purposes. Stepping into the doorway he watched for a moment, observing as Naruto handed his son a requested item and joined him in watching the bugs in their special mounds. After a year of bonding the two was nigh inseparable and regularly sought out the other when they were parted for more than an hour. For a man who hadn't made close ties until his genin teammates, it pleased the Aburame head enormously, even more than others could have possible known or suspected. After the loss of Torune to Danzo, he still had to repay the bastard somehow, both he and his wife were relieved Shino was making friends.

"Dinner," Shibi said gaining their attention. The blond blinked in surprise and offered a slight bow of thanks before following his friend out the door. The clan head watched the blond and felt a bit of pity well up. The son of their fourth Hokage looked more like a street rat than a well-cared for orphan. Just what were those orphanage attendants doing? He followed however, and joined them in the family dining room. His wife came in carrying food and smiled at the blond who offered to take them from her. Shino asked if it was fine for Naruto to stay the night and she glanced at him in question earning a nod of approval before she looked at Naruto who'd been shooed into a spot next to Shino.

"You won't be missed?" Shibi's wife, Sacchi, asked as she set a plate before him. The blond shook his head.

"I don't live at the orphanage anymore and there's no one at home to mind. My apartment only has me after all." The adults blinked before turning to glance at each in silent communication. They were both a bit stunned. A six year old living alone? How? Why? Shino seemed surprised by this tidbit as well and stared at his friend.

"When?" He asked bluntly.

"Yesterday," Naruto answered easily as the adults' gazes passed back and forth between them narrowly. 'The first day of school,' Shibi thought.

"That's why you were not able to play after class?" Shino reasoned forehead wrinkling.

"Yes." Naruto glanced at both of the adults as they stared at him in a funny manner before scrunching down and shifting closer to Shino in an attempt for comfort. Shibi's son noticed and glanced at his parents as well before shuffling a bit closer in a silent bid to put him at ease.

"How are you paying?" Shibi asked abruptly. His wife's gaze was trained on the orphan in a growing mix of disbelief and horror.

"Hokage-jii-sama has a fund that he pays out to me around the middle of the month," was the quiet reply and Shibi felt the uncharacteristic need to curse.

"Ah. What are you doing for food?" Sacchi asked as she took her place after dragging Shibi down next to her, her mind a whirl. As a housewife and mother she felt morally and emotionally offended by what she was learning.

"Teuchi-ossan and Ayame-nee," Naruto replied.

"You can't eat ramen every meal of your life." Shino said sternly. Both parents felt a moment of humor lighten their growing dismay and anger. The 'Ramen Debate' between the pair was rather infamous amongst the household and Aburame clan. Shino was determined to get his friend to expand his horizons, and Naruto just wanted to eat his favorite food in peace. The argument was currently on hold since Shino didn't want all of his sunglasses stolen and hidden again.

"I don't, sometimes I eat onigiri." The boy defended. The trio felt a bit of momentary disbelief and Shino resisted the urge to groan. That would be unseemly.

"That's not healthy." Sacchi said. "What are you doing for groceries?" She could help fix him some simple meals, and teach him some easier sides to make if he was determined to live on his own but the next answer stopped her cold.

"Nothing really, the market isn't open to me."

"Why?" Shibi asked his hand closing tightly around his chopsticks.

"They're jerks." The bug users all blinked, stared at Naruto to confirm who said it, and blinked again. Naruto, who never said anything bad about anyone unless it was unavoidable, had said an insult, even as mild it was, as bluntly as any Aburame. The boy was painfully polite and proper in his usual conversation, never even thinking of offending someone with a negative comment and even most of his sentences ending in desu. To do so was paramount to stating the person, or group of people, were dirt beneath his feet and deserved to die a grisly end.

"Ah." Shibi said smoothing his hand flat out and letting his angry tense muscles forcibly relax, "care to give me a description?" Looking into the sky blue eyes, Shibi knew he wasn't going to like what the small blond said next.

He didn't.

* * *

Naruto had the best friend in the world.

But the Academy still sucked majorly.

Nothing could make it better, not even ramen, and that was saying _a lot_. This was their second year and it wasn't getting any better, and if the trend continued it would just get worse, a thought that made Naruto grimace mildly. So while Shino was able to help him, and both of the boy's parents were great, the instructors _hated_ him and were determined to ruin his life and education.

Already he was struggling to keep from being placed at the bottom and Shino and he both knew it wasn't their fault. The same homework and answers that they would both submit would earn a nearly perfect grade for Shino but would be marked all over in red for Naruto. More so, he was constantly harassed by the other children who seemed to decide that hanging out with the bug user made him a 'weirdo' like their parents told them he was.

Shino had been quite offended by that and Naruto even more so.

Currently the duo were sitting at the back of the class, with the rest of the 'slackers' or 'good-for-nothings,' never mind that all of them, with the exception of Naruto (who was actually one and didn't know it), were to be the next clan head or the closest thing shinobi got to nobility. All of them, in Naruto's soft and almost-never mentioned opinion, were _nicer_ and _better_ than the other riffraff that plagued them while at school. In a class of around thirty children, only eight were from shinobi clans, while another two were from active shinobi families. The other twenty or so students, however, were civilian born.

That made life hellish no doubt.

All of the civilian kids seemed to take their parents teachings to heart and were fully backed by the teachers. During spars they would do dirty things to Naruto, pulling illegal moves or not listening to the teacher when they ordered them to stop, and never, not once, did they ever get reprimanded afterward. More than one fellow student, if they were civilian born that is, had blamed Naruto for something when he wasn't even in the _room_ and the blond would get in trouble for it.

This meant subtle payback.

Thus, more than one teacher and student had run afoul with something rather mildly annoying or irritating. One girl's lunch got covered in ants regularly, however they blamed it on her cubby being so close to the window. While other bullies suffered mild pranks with itching powder, paint, and even chalkboard erasers, nothing overt of course, but common and general enough that the victims were only angry for a few moments. After all, everyone got pranked some times. If they were intelligent, however, they would have realized that neither Shino nor Naruto ever got pranked and the clan heirs and members much less in comparison to them.

Nobody ever said they _were_ intelligent however.

The teachers were a problem as well, but they suffered carefully planned setbacks as well. The meaner teachers would lose their wallets or passes to different government or shinobi things and have to hunt them down only to find them later in a different pocket or somewhere in their desks where they knew they'd looked before. These cases, however, were something neither Shino nor Naruto ever got caught doing and served as practice in their stealth and trap abilities. The only teacher who didn't get hit by this was Umino Iruka, who sometimes actively _assisted_ them in their payback, once a prankster always a prankster and all that.

It didn't make life easier, but it kept them both sane.

* * *

The recess and lunch bell rang and Naruto glanced at Shino in question and earned a subtle nod. Both seven year olds unearthed the lunches Shino's mom packed for them and headed for the small grassy clearing near the training area at the back, quickly leaving the classroom through the backdoor as they were dismissed. Getting to their favorite spot both boys took their usual seats in the cool shade and relaxed.

"I hate it here," Naruto finally sighed after a few minutes. "If it wasn't required of a ninja to pass the Academy I would try a different way." Shino grimaced behind his new high-necked jacked and nodded in understanding. He hated it as well. He couldn't believe his best friend was being hurt in such a manner. After learning Naruto was living alone and what the villagers were doing to him at the market and at his apartment, barely a day and he was already being tortured by the building manager!, his parents had pretty much forced him to live with them. Naruto now 'rented' a small two bedroom guest house near Shino's house in the Aburame compound and 'paid' for his meals from Sacchi.

"Just five more years," Shino said trying to be comforting. "It's almost four actually. We are half way through this year." Naruto nodded and dug into his rice quietly eating the food with a soft smile. Sacchi had made his second favorite food, beef and mushroom stir-fry, and he was grateful. Class this morning had been dreadful with all the taijutsu they were practicing and this afternoon would get no better what with shuriken and kunai lessons. Shino catching the growing depression quickly diverted his best friend's attention.

"Have you found a style you like yet?" Shino asked referencing the different scrolls and styles of fighting Naruto had been studying over the past few months. After realizing that the boy wasn't going to learn anything effectively or correctly at the Academy they were being trained back at home in chakra control, stamina, and some basic forms of all jutsu. Furthermore, his mother had taken him under her wing even more, leading Shino to suspect that they'd have another assassin in the Aburame clan. (Naruto was an unofficial member and pretty much his brother, so he _had_ to be an Aburame secretly was Shino's train of thought.) So while Shino and most of his clan didn't use taijutsu extensively, they did collect and hoard scrolls containing all sorts of bug related jutsu and allowed Naruto to go through them to assist in his own learning and development.

"I was thinking since the clan is more into spying I'd handle trapping and combat. Ways to protect you or someone similar if we needed it." Naruto answered. "I have the strength and dexterity to handle wire, and Shibi-ojii-san said I have a budding talent with fuinjutsu. That means plenty of different tags and storage for use." Shino nodded.

"You would do well." Shino said before he returned to eating. Naruto smiled at him in pleasure.

"Thanks, Shino."

* * *

"Ouch," Naruto muttered as his finger cut on the more advanced and sharper ninja wire he was acquiring. Now at the age of eleven, he'd been training with the sharp threads for nearly four years. His insane healing quickly fixed it and he picked out the next few rolls of spools he needed and some senbon and a new fukiya1. Shino was a few aisles away picking out some kunai. He glanced up at Naruto and cocked a brow as his best friend moved closer.

Nearly six years of being best friends with an Aburame had changed the blond forever. He was still short but growing, his chakra preventing the early malnutrition from affecting his body too much and totally protecting his learning and thought capabilities.

The blond boy was slender in an almost feminine manner, his spikey hair grown long and carefully braided and then pinned up before being effectively covered by a black bandana. His blue eyes were soft and fond when they rested on his best friend or anyone in the Aburame clan, and he dressed in a similar fashion to all the Aburame but without the high collar. Instead, he substituted it for a face mask that covered his nose and distinct whisker marks, no doubt to help protect his sense of smell which was comparable to an Inuzuka's, even though it also hid his identity. Shino also knew Naruto wore a mesh, long-sleeve shirt of black over a sleeveless black muscle shirt though neither could be seen under the thigh length dark gray jacket with black trim on the pockets and hems and a dark-red Uzumaki swirl decorating the back and where the shoulders met each sleeve. His legs were covered in pants that had a number of pockets and were wrapped down from the calf to his ankle in dark gray tape before he pulled on a similar pair of black nin-sandals as Shino's. In the end, Naruto was pretty much looked and dressed as a shadow.

"Good?" Naruto asked as he held out the basket and Shino placed his own selection in.

"Good." Naruto nodded and they carried it to the counter. Shino pulled out their 'joint' wallet and Naruto put the basket down. Both stared at the cashier silently as he rang up the items, Naruto musing at the benefit of hiding his identity from the general populace. No more being jilted at the register with increased pricing! Though he'd changed his get up to better suit his fighting style and training, he wasn't an overt offensive fighter, though he excelled at taijutsu, his specialty being covert operations, he appreciated the secrecy now afforded him. A few moments later, he was knocked out of his thoughts when Shino paid the man and took one of the three bags. Naruto grabbed the others, since they were primarily his purchases and they left the shop at a relaxed gait ignoring how the civilians and fellow shinobi edged away from when they realized Shino was an Aburame.

"What do you think about the final exam coming up? We have the chance to take it." Naruto asked since you were able to take the genin test when you turned eleven and/or entered your second to last year of Academy. When that happened you had the option to testing out early. If you decided to wait you could take it beginning of the following year, and if you decided to wait further you could take it at the very end of your schooling and if you failed less than three times you were submitted to a retake until you hit three fails. You had three different chances to take the exam and could take it only three times. If you failed one you were not able to take the test again for a whole month if it was the first two, if you failed all three chances you were forced to become a civilian. Some students took it only once and passed ahead of everyone else, while others tried and failed all three attempts.

"I would prefer to wait," Shino admitted, "If only to get an idea of the level of difficulty and prepare ahead of time." Naruto nodded.

"We will do well though. We are too good to have a problem." Naruto said firmly in a rare show of confidence for his eyes crinkled in a clear smile. Shino's eyebrow twitched in humor and he nodded.

"Of course."

* * *

Naruto took a deep breath as he slowly relaxed into his next stance. His hands moving through the different sharp angles with pure concentration and dedication, dancing through the katas under the watchful eyes of one of the best taijutsu masters the Aburame clan had. Finishing through his final movements the woman's lips quirked in pleasure, "Good," she said congratulating him. Naruto straightened out of his stance and bowed to his teacher flushing in pleasure.

"Thank you Aburame-sensei," he said. The woman smiled at him and ruffled his hair, a rare sign of affection for the normally stoic Aburame. Then again she married into the family after catching the eye of one of their members so she got away with it.

"Ma, you've come far, Naru-chan," she said teasing gently as she handed him a towel. The blond relaxed further and gave her a bright smile.

"Thank you, Sacchi-obaa-san," he said wiping his face. "I am glad you approve."

"Your hojojutsu2 has gotten better as well," she said motioning him to seat as she took her own place. Naruto smiled shyly and settled in front of her. "Your skill with your wires is something to be envied and your training with Kumo no Kobushi3 is becoming quite advanced." Naruto turned an even bright red.

"To hear that from the infamous Jorōgumo4 is an honor," Naruto said with a bow. Sacchi laughed in pleasure at her former Bingo book label.

"I am sure you'll be even better, little spider." She said warmly at the boy she considered her second son. "Now, I have a gift for you," she stated, pulling out a small bag from where it was tucked secretly inside her obi. Naruto accepted it with a bow and opened it curiously. His eyes widened and he glanced up at her in shock, surprise, and gratitude. A series of deceptively simple silver, clear heavy glass, and black iron rings lay in his palm. If it was for the sharp spikes and hooks on the bottom they could have been considered regular rings, perhaps even the ones poor peasants bought and wore once they were wed.

"Kakute5…?" Naruto asked. They were a useful weapon for fighters like him, however quite rare for anyone who wasn't a kunoichi in the seduction or assassination corps. The ones handed to him were of clearly made of high quality and expensive metal in the case of the silver and iron ones, not to mention the glass, something the orphan had never thought to own until he was well into jounin ranks. Already his mind was whirling to the poisons he could learn and further equip the weapons with. He'd have to start a series of… His mind whirled in excitement. Sacchi smiled as she took in his excited and overjoyed expression. He hid his expression as well as any Aburame, she thought with an amused mental snort.

"They were mine," she admitted and shook her head when he made to hand them back, obviously thinking she was merely showing them to him as a demonstration. "They're yours now, Naru-chan, my gift and hope to ensure your success and survival. They were my mother's and someday they may be your child's or disciple's. I know you'll use them well." She slipped one onto his finger and watched him adjust to the weight. "This is a sign of your advancement. I'm sure you'll do well, little spider." She smiled in approval when he slipped a few on and tested them out, getting used to how they weighed so one day they could be of assistance.

* * *

Naruto's face could have blinded any Aburame the next few months; his smile was so bright and happy. Shino more than once shook his head as his best friend trapped and wrapped up more than one unsuspecting Aburame in practice, his ropes and ties growing in intricacy. Even his father didn't escape the chaos and the Aburame heir had laughed in a rare show of verbal amusement when he saw his father's put out expression as his best friend happily hummed while looping slim hemp ropes in a diamond pattern around the captured shinobi's chest. Now, however, he observed his best friend building one of his more intricate and secret 'webs.'

"Naruto," Shino said mildly as he stood on the porch watching his friend delicately make an encirclement of wires around a group of wooden and straw people. The blond merely held up a single finger and twitched forward three times in an unspoken request of silence for a specific amount of time. A minute and thirty seconds later the blond raced up a thick tree before dropping down on the opposite side yanking his hands back as he landed onto the ground skidding back in a defensible position. The wires carefully stretched and placed, instantly pulled collapsing in from different directions. Their instant retraction sliced through the 'enemies,' disposing of them with a vicious precision, that made Shino's eyebrow shoot up in acknowledgement and surprise. Every single cut alone would have been fatal and if there had been blood, the liquid would have coated the woody arena.

"_Golden Web: Bloody Encirclement,"_ Naruto murmured and quickly gathered his spools of wire.

"Impressive," Shino commented, "Dinner is about to start now." Naruto smiled and followed silently, the wire returning to their places and the rings freed from their work.

Sitting down to eat they murmured the traditional saying and quickly dove in, the food served out easily and the bowls of rice and soup refilled often.

"The test is tomorrow," Shibi said finally. Both boys had decided to wait until the third test and anticipated passing easily. While neither boy was at the top or the bottom, they had followed the plan and stuck to the middle. It had frustrated the worse and meaner teachers immensely that the blond had done so 'well' and suited Shino's needs to stay with his best friend and properly assess their competition and future colleagues.

"Yes," Naruto said politely handing the beef dish around.

"We will pass." Shino commented. "Why? Because we have all the skills we need and those that the teacher doesn't know of." Both Aburame adults smiled slightly at them.

"I don't doubt you will. You have the main three down?" Sacchi asked.

"Substitution, Clone, and Henge," Naruto said with a wry grin. "I am appreciative to all your care towards teaching me control otherwise I'd never be able to use such a weak jutsu without overpowering it, Aburame-sensei." Shibi nodded and Sacchi smiled at the compliment.

"If you pass you'll each be taught a new jutsu. A special clan one for Shino and Kage Bushin no Jutsu for Naruto-kun," Shibi said with a slight smile as both boys' attention instantly intensified. Naruto was blinking at him owlishly and Shino's kikaichu buzzed in excitement. Both boys exchanged a glance and a particularly evil look crossed over Naruto's reminding the adults why he was the unspoken king of pranks in Konoha.

'Sometime soon it shall be interesting,' Shibi thought with a slight smirk. 'Why? Because the teachers will surely suffer some humiliating encounter but it is no less than they deserve. Why? Because they spent seven years trying to crush my boys and tomorrow they will prove they are far better than anyone anticipated. The pranks that come after will be mere sauce on this dango.'

Content in his knowledge, Shibi ignored Naruto as he politely excused himself to make his final preparations, Shino joining moments afterward. Smirk growing into a look just as evil as Naruto's Shibi silently wondered if they would hear the screams all the way in the compound. It would be good if they did.

* * *

Umino Iruka glanced up and ignored all of Mizuki's ill-tempered muttering as the Aburame boy finished his test. The insect clone had been impressive, as well as his henge into the Hokage, making it easy for Iruka to pass him. Shuffling his papers around the scarred chunin felt his lips twitch a bit in humor as he read the next name. Uzumaki Naruto, eh? The blond had been the silent pranking king for the past six years. While few of the teachers and students in the school had suffered from very few 'big-ticket' pranks, the bullies of Naruto's year had been victim to more than a few 'mild but highly irritating' ones. Nothing less than they deserved in his opinion, completely unbiased surprisingly. When Naruto and Shino had entered his class for their final year he'd seen how dedicated and hardworking the boys were, something that had belied earlier write ups.

In actuality Naruto and Shino could probably match, and quite easily surpass if they wanted to, the current 'Rookie of the Year.' In his own personal opinion, the duo belonged on a team together because while they were efficient alone, they were _devastating_ standing together against a common force or enemy. Remembering how often one of the worst and bigoted girls in the class suffered from continued hijinks with all sorts of irritating insects "Maybe it's your perfume," he'd offered mildly when queried why bees kept chasing her, Iruka muffled a snicker. Calling out the name, Iruka smiled mildly at Naruto as he took his place before them.

"You've done well on the taijutsu and written portions of the exam," Iruka said firmly, squashing any bias down, the boy would and could pass even if he didn't get a perfect score on this portion, though Iruka didn't doubt he would, "you now have to perform all three of the standard ninjutsu techniques: Henge, Substution, and Clone. When you're ready please transform into one of the proctors, swap with something in the room, and then form three clones." Naruto nodded and quietly gathered himself. A quick series of hand signals later and soft poof of smoke and Iruka stared at a perfect copy of himself, clipboard and all. His copy smiled gently at him before rubbing his scar in embarrassment. The instructor paused in the middle of doing it himself and laughed.

"Good," Iruka said marking off on the test. Another soft pop and the boy changed back to his original shape. He flipped through a series of seals and a plant stood in his place as he took the potted tree's place in the corner. Iruka fought the need to crow in joy and calmly said, "Bushin now." Another series of quick hand seals and three other Narutos stood there with a slight smirk appearing on their faces. Glancing at the infuriated look on Mizuki's face, the boy's previous instructor, Iruka couldn't help but feel a little smug as well.

He'd told him, Naruto was a better shinobi, but Mizuki hadn't listened and wasn't that a kick in the ass?

Naruto came out with his hitai-ate6 tied over his head, his bandana stuffed in a pocket of his jacket. The fact that his hair was uncovered had many of his classmates blinking in surprise at the bright blond strands having forgotten the actual color after four years of not seeing it.

"Passed." Naruto said stopping by his equally quiet friend.

"Home?" Shino said.

"Yeah. We report at the end of the week for team placement. Let's go." Naruto replied, "Want to stop and get some dango?"

"Fine," Shino consented and they disappeared. Neither commented or paid any attention to the quiet study or glowers of other newly made genin or failed classmates. They had better things to do.

* * *

"Here is the list of genin who are now up for team selection and final testing," Umino said handing out the lists of names to the different jounin. Out of the thirty who'd attended the academy, only eighteen had actually taken the exam and passed. Out of those numbers, Iruka suspected only nine would actually make the cut.

"Ah, so Naruto-kun passed, good." the Hokage said with a smile. "I knew he'd do well."

"He and Aburame Shino are very dedicated," Iruka said with a smile. "We have a very good batch this year we may end up with at least three teams depending on the jounin and who gets teamed up with whom." The Hokage smiled at the scarred chunin and wished once again the young man _wanted_ to be a jounin and perhaps head the Academy eventually instead of staying as an instructor. However, he respected the man's Will of Fire, and doubted he'd be able to convince Iruka before the man decided he wanted it himself.

"Any final suggestions?" The Hokage asked making the man pause. "Comments?" Iruka hesitated.

"Uchiha-kun is a bit… Unstable in his relationships, I'd advise a jounin who could focus totally on the boy and not his background. If there was a jounin who would suit and be willing to take him on as an apprentice I would suggest that but it would do nothing for his social and emotional isolation unless he was involved in numerous interactions of different sorts. If Yamanaka-san was taking a team I'd suggest him if only for psychological evaluation, otherwise Yuuhi-san would probably serve him well." The newly made, jounin-instructor blinked her red eyes at him in surprise. "I looked over all of the requirements and skills of those who were volunteered or put up as probable sensei," he said in way of explanation when he recognized the question in those ruby orbs.

"Not Hatake Kakashi?" Sarutobi asked. The aforementioned jounin cocked an eyebrow at the Academy instructor who sighed and shook his head in denial.

"Hatake-san has my greatest regards as a Jounin, however he's not knowledgeable on how to deal with the Uchiha's isolationist issues, self-inflicted negativity, and avenger mentality." Kakashi winced but agreed. He wasn't entirely able to handle his own, let alone Sasuke's, emotional burdens.

He had wanted the boy due to his connection with Obito and his own Sharingan, but it might be better to take him on as an apprentice after he made chunin. The instructor however continued, though he felt bad for the slightly defeated look on the Copy-nin's face, "While an excellent shinobi," Kakashi earned another apologetic glance, "It is my suggestion that a well-seasoned jounin instructor or Yuuhi-san get him." Iruka said firmly. "The rest of the class is mostly fine, though the kunoichi need to be firmly trained out of their fan-girl mentalities."

Sarutobi muffled a chortle; he'd heard this complaint before. "Would you like me to throw them to Mitarashi Anko or something?" He offered amused.

"If it helped yes," was the blunt reply making several of the people in the room wince. Iruka continued in a quite droll manner, "They _stalk_ and _chase_ Uchiha-kun around town, making it even more difficult for him to form connections and interact on a normal basis with society, never mind the damn civilian council's interference. Haruno-san is particularly violent towards anyone who puts him in any type of negative light and more than once a fight has erupted between her and Yamanaka Ino, even to the extent of having to send one or both to the nurse's office afterwards. Many of the boys don't work or want to work with him because of this or merely cannot since he's isolated both by his name and 'followers'. The only two who don't regularly pick a fight with him, his fan girls, or any others in class are Aburame and Uzumaki and that's only because they're the ones that get picked on, isolated from the rest of the class, and oftentimes are verbally and/or physically attacked by the collective rest. They've retreated from the worst of the failures during their time at the Academy, which is something I actually approve. Considering they're in the correct mind to _be_ effective, well-rounded shinobi instead of merely _pretending_ to be one like many of the students I taught this year, they're choice was the correct one." The Hokage nodded.

"You're evaluations are quite valuable, Umino-san," Sarutobi said gravely. "We will of course, take all of that into consideration and put it to the greatest use. Do keep up the good work. You are dismissed," the chunin bowed and left. Turning back to his other shinobi the Sandaime laced his fingers and rested his chin on top of them in silent contemplation.

"Any requests?" He asked as he watched the higher ranked jounin and shinobi go through the lists and study the different skill sets. He was fairly certain that his son would take on the new Ino-Shika-Cho group however Kurenai and Kakashi were a mystery to him. The red eyed woman studied the list her lips turned down a fraction.

"If it's alright with you I'll take on Haruno, Hyuuga, and Uchiha," she said to the silver haired jounin. "The other three, that is Aburame, Uzumaki and Inuzuka, seem to suit infiltration, espionage and tracking. Things a former ANBU would excel at." Kakashi nodded handing her the paper and whipping out his little orange book. He read a few pages before a giggle escaped. The genjutsu-mistress flinched in anger before stomping down the immediate need to castrate him and turned to the Hokage with a smile.

"Hokage-sama, here are my choices," she handed him the paper with the list of names circled, "also," she continued her lips turning up in a smirk, "Kakashi-san said he'd take all the Tora missions for the next three months with or without his genin squad."

"Did he now?" Sarutobi asked glancing at the giggling ninja as he read his little orange book. He rather doubted the man said that, but a happy kunoichi mean a happy and healthy Hokage, so he let it go. "I'll make sure to mark it down."

"Hai." She said brightly thinking, 'take that, pervert!'

* * *

"Congratulations," Shibi said when the two boys presented their hitai-ate to the clan head. "Now, Sacchi will be teaching Naruto-kun the Kage Bushin no Jutsu while I explain the next hijutsu to Shino." The blond beamed and got up to follow Sacchi as she motioned him to follow. The special clan techniques Shino was learning could only be taught to him and it would be better to keep them a secret outside of battle, even to his best friend.

"Have fun, Shino," Naruto said softly before disappearing down the hall, heading for the dojo. Shino nodded and turned his focus completely back to his father who motioned for him to remove his jacket as he took off his own. Slowly the swarms in both of their bodies expelled themselves and buzzed around each other trading information, the next secret technique transferring that way, making genetic memories in the specialized insects saved in them from countless previous generations come to the fore. Slowly the hum died down and the kikaichu separated and slowly returned to their respective hosts. Shino slowly entered his meditative state, letting his mind communicate with his insects once more.

A few hours later he looked up and Shino's sunglasses gleamed in pleasure as he bowed to his father and sensei making the clan head smiled. "Excellent. Now is the time for practice." Shino nodded sharply and stood, his jacket going back on. Swinging his arms out, he ordered, "_Hijutsu: Mushidama_7." The insects immediately swirled out and enveloped the practice dummy that stood at the center of the training field, put there by an expectant Shibi earlier in the day. n a sphere before converging on it. Eyebrows going up in pleasure he smiled slightly behind his collar. 'This will be quite effective.'

* * *

Naruto easily learned the ninjutsu, his clones forming solidly next to him in a neat line. The only trouble he was having was the amount, though he was slowly getting a hand of it, which pleased both the covered up blond and his sensei.

"Good," Sacchi said with a warm smile, "You've got a good hand on it now, Naru-chan."

"Thank you," Naruto said with a sigh of relief.

"This is a very good jutsu for you," Sacchi said as they fell into their usual seated and relax mode of conversation. "While allowing for you to have multiple partners in setting up your nets and detaining prisoners, there is a special ability that you should know."

"Yes?" Naruto asked curiously.

"The clones have the ability to learn. Anything a clone does, see, or learns is passed onto you." Sacchi told him. Naruto's face blanked for a moment as the implications hit before blinking slowly. A smile slowly formed on his face and then bloomed into a grin.

"Amazing," he whispered. His sensei chuckled in agreement, secretly knowing that with this technique and the boy's prisoner he'd be a force to reckon with. Especially with the tight and advanced control he'd learned at her hands and those in the Aburame clan. He bowed to her, "thank you for teaching me something so useful, Aburame-sensei." She smiled proudly.

"You are welcome, Naru-chan," she said warmly. "You're free to go now. You've successfully learned it. I'm sure you'll want to test it out yourself." Naruto gave her another bow and scampered off to find his best friend and her son, no doubt going to drag him off to one of the off-compound training grounds to demonstrate and experiment. Getting up she stretched a bit before heading back into the family room where her husband sat, quietly proud.

"He took to it like a moth to light," she told him as she settled next to him, pulling her mending over to her.

"Ah, Shino did as well," he husband said, enjoying the evening breeze.

"They probably won't be back until late," Sacchi mused, "Naruto is going to experiment that new technique into the ground."

"It's only proper to do so," Shibi stated logically and she hummed.

"I'm glad they had dinner already and that Ichiraku's is open so late, they'll need the food later." She paused in her work and met his gaze damply. "They're growing up and doing so well."

"We raised them well," her husband replied in a comforting manner. "We've done a good job." She smiled at that.

"Good."

* * *

Naruto and Shino landed in their usual training ground excitedly.

"I wish you could learn this technique," Naruto said forlornly. "It would of great use to you as well."

"I shall endeavor to do so when I have larger chakra reserves," Shino stated. He marveled at all the information his best friend had passed along and felt a bit envious over his reserves but understood it came with its downsides. Naruto had fought a battle over the last six years to have such fine control over his chakra, something so necessary in this work and in his own personal fighting style.

"I'm glad you got a new technique," Naruto said with a smile, "It is your eighth one correct?"

"Yes, there's about more to learn," Shino replied. "They're all B and A-class so I am sure I'll learn more as I progress."

"And develop some, everyone in the Aburame clan has their own tricks," Naruto pointed out and Shino nodded in agreement. "Well, then, are you prepared to spar?" Shino's eyebrows twitched and he went into his usual stance as Naruto leaped back and joined the shadows in his own.

"Ready?" His voice wafted out softly.

"Go." Shino replied and they struck.

* * *

A few hours later both were taking a break. "Very interesting technique," Shino told Naruto as he lay out on the ground, his bandana off and blond hair mussed slightly. The long blond strands glittering golden in the moonlight.

"I think I will have to experiment some more with it, the potential currently is limitless," Naruto agreed sitting up. He frowned a bit when he realized part of his carefully done hair was loose and just sighed taking out the rest of the pins. The golden strands fell like water though and Naruto massaged his head in satisfaction. The peacefulness of the night, however, was cut short when two familiar chunin burst into the clearing.

"Mizuki!" Iruka roared, both of them battling it out. The two newly made genin separated out of the way, hiding in the surround forest. The gray haired teacher threw a series of shuriken at Iruka before he surged forward and caught the scarred chunin in a series of punishing blows. They gained some distance between them once more and Mizuki smirked.

"Hah! As if you could catch me weakling!" Mizuki taunted. Naruto narrowly watched where the teacher was moving and quickly formed his signs before calling out, "Kage Bushin no Jutsu!" Ten clones appeared from above the silver haired teacher in a pummeling force he narrowly dodged.

"Ah?" Mizuki said skidding to a halt with his back to the woods. "That demon brat's here as well? Lucky." Iruka's eyes widened and he shot forward. "Hey, Uzumaki do you know why everyone hates you? I can tell you." Naruto narrowed his gaze and merely continued his work. Iruka however was infuriated. The silent weave of the Jorōgumo's apprentice and his clones went unnoticed however. The clones had served their purpose fully by scattering a series of super strong 'spider' wires in a complicated manner as they attacked.

"Don't speak, Mizuki! You're already in trouble for stealing the Forbidden Scroll, don't you dare reveal an S-class secret on top of it! Especially one that would hurt my students!" Iruka shouted unknowingly leading the man into Naruto's trap. The traitor shot forward to meet him and froze in surprised when he realized he had razor sharp wires wrapped around him in silent capture.

The original Naruto stepped out and the gleam of wires could be seen between his fingers and tied to kakute. "_Golden Web: Ensnaring prey." _He looked the teacher over and voiced his opinion plainly, "Fool." He easily noted part of his best friend's colony slowly crawling up the man's body from his prone position.

"Y-you…!" Mizuki snarled before stiffening further when he felt something moving over his body. Finally noticeable on his dark gray shirt, unlike they had been on his black pants, were kikaichu. They swirled in an angry orb around him.

"Swarm," Shino bit out as he stepped out from behind him. "Finish him quickly," he stated coldly. The bugs covered the traitor and Mizuki let out a muffled scream of terror and shock. Shino was more than a little pissed with the teacher's treachery and verbal abuse. They'd suffered under this man for seven years and were _not_ going to put up with it now that he proved to be deceitful, especially the comments towards his best friend. Iruka, on the other hand, collapsed to his knees in relief, Naruto moving over to check on him. The glow of green chakra from his hands had the teacher smiling a bit proudly at the blond.

"Is there nothing you can't do?" He asked tiredly. "You two really should have been the Rookies of the Year." Shino shook his head and allowed his insects to return to him as the teacher went limp from chakra exhaustion, only Naruto's 'threads' holding him up.

"A shinobi does not stand out," Shino stated, "He does his work successfully until he dies with honor in battle or of old age." The Academy instructor smiled proudly before accepting a ration bar from Naruto and subsiding into a sitting position on the ground. Naruto moved over to their prisoner and pulled out some hemp rope.

"You're right," Iruka said as he watched the rather impressive hojojutsu his blond haired student demonstrated. He stared up at the sky and smiled as the flashes of ANBU appearing denoted their appearance. "Want to get some ramen to celebrate? After the Hokage debriefs us, of course."

The two boys exchanged a look and nodded, "We'd be happy to." Shino stated.

* * *

"You two have completed a B-rank?" Shibi said amazement the next morning as the two returned dead on their feet from a night of debriefing, ramen, capturing traitors, and training.

"Mizuki-sensei proved to be a traitor and came charging into the training ground Naruto and I were and we assisted Umino-sensei in capturing and detaining him until ANBU could arrive," Shino admitted tiredly. Naruto just sleepily nodded, his blond hair gathered in a plait over his left shoulder.

"We are even going to be paid," Naruto said with a yawn. The Aburame head blinked in surprise.

"I guess congratulations are in order." The man said.

"Can we celebrate it after a few hours of sleep?" Shino asked his father nodded his consent. "Good. Why? Because Naruto has already fallen asleep in his ramen bowl at Ichiraku's, we're that tired."

* * *

A/N:

And here are the things I mentioned in the story. Hopefully, the number will go down. Currently I'm torn between the decision of whether or not to make Naruto's ninjutsu in Japanese, but know I'd probably **_butcher_**it beyond repair if I did. Either way, I will try to keep it in Japanese if I can, please bear with me on the English however and on the fight scenes. They aren't always easy to write, but always fun to try. I'll try to keep this updated regularly, however, I'm having some difficulties with the work I've done so far, and would appreciate anything you might be interested in. I already have Naruto and Sasuke's pairs made, however, I won't tell you who. I will say this, Naruto's is a male and Sasuke's is a female.

May the guessing begin.

Terms/Descriptions:

1. Fukiya: Japanese blow gun, generally made of bamboo and used to shoot poison darts.

2. Hojojutsu: The art of binding and restricting movement through rope, was done by policemen in Japan up until the mid-19th century in detaining prisoners and captures.

3. Kumo no Kobushi: It means Spider Fist, as shown by Google. For those of you in the martial arts and have a better way of naming it you can suggest something, I really don't know what else to put.

4. Jorōgumo: Known in Japanese mythology as one of many youkai it can be translated as "binding bride" or "whore spider." This spider demon takes on the image of a beautiful woman to trap her prey, usually samurai or travelling men, with her hair turned web and devours them. There are other things the name can represent so if you get interested just Google or Wikipedia it!

5. Kakute: Are a type of ring that has spikes or actual little tab with a hole to hold onto ropes and assist in hojojutsu. The spikes on these rings can be used in assassinations via poison, suffocation and even jabs/cuts to the necks. They are usually worn on the middle finger and hidden as wedding rings with the spikes down against the palm. Commonly used by kunoichi.

6. Hitai-ate: Well known to all Naruto fans, this band of cloth has a strip of metal across it. In feudal and even more modern times, this was and is used as a forehead protector. Some types were made to cover the head totally, except for the face, and were also worn by samurai and regular soldiers and infantry.

: Mushidama: its rough English translation is "Secret technique: Insect Sphere." The insects form a sphere around their target before covering the person totally and sucking out all of their chakra at once.

I look forward to hearing from you all!

Amni :)


	2. Chapter 2

A/N:

Thanks to:

My first follower, TigerRaven

Reviewer, anarion87

Favoriter, Warwolf16

Word to the Reviewers:

Topic: Naruto's and Sasuke's love lives…

It's unchangeable at this point. I'm over ten chapters in… and there's no hope of a new love interest, I apologize if this means you can't stay with me. Sorry, there's no way to change it. Now, the length of how much I've written makes you think or ask, why hasn't she updated sooner?

Thus the next topic is...

How often I will be updating! Estimate is… Twice a month… at most. (Look for it every first and third Monday!)

It's horribly difficult to get these chapters written. They're over 7-8k in length on average. This means you all get premium (or at least that's what I think) stuff at a nice long length and my heavy lifting means it'll take a little bit of time to get things out. By the way… I'm ignoring Shippuden…A lot. Just a quick update for any of you who will end up a lot of questions later on when the story decides to derail and go epically AU.

And no… I won't give any teasers away, really, I try not to at least. Not unless it's at the request of the 100th reviewer. Every 100 reviews I'll sell my soul to the reviewer (not an anonymous guest you have to leave a review with a viable PM, no PM and the whole thing resets _period. That's my way of staying motivated. Motivate me…_) If the reviewer fails to specify something during the PM I send them than the counter will reset and the person at the next 100 will get their chance.

Warning/Disclaimer: Please check Chapter 1.

Words: 12,000~ (this is my longest chapter of the story so far)

* * *

**Jorōgumo**

* * *

**Chapter 2:**

Enter! Uzumaki Naruto, Team Seven and Team Eight!

What kind of Shinobi are you?!

* * *

Later that week, after getting their pictures taken and the other paperwork done, they returned to the Academy for the final time as students and rejoined their other advancing classmates taking their usual isolated spot as per usual. Iruka-sensei strode in and started listing off the teams.

"Team Seven will be Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba, and Uzumaki Naruto." Iruka called out. "Your sensei and team leader is Hatake Kakashi." The two best friends turned as one to stare at the loudest boy in class and Naruto nodded at Shino before motioning Inuzuka over to their secluded corner. The chunin continued listing off as the dog ninja approached warily.

"Hello," Naruto said politely, "I am Uzumaki Naruto. I'll be in your care." He gave a polite bow. Shino merely tipped his head to the side and repeated the greeting.

"Er, yeah," Kiba said taking in the quietest members of the whole class, even Hyuuga and Uchiha made some noise. Stutters, yelps, and grunts counted after all. "I'm Kiba and this is Akamaru. We're in your, er, care, yeah. " He presented his dog and was surprised when Naruto's eyes wrinkled at the corners as though he was smiling. Shino merely nodded again.

"May I?" Naruto asked holding out the back of his hand taking it out of his pocket after slipping off his kakute. The skin was golden color. No matter how much he covered or kept to the shadows it never seemed to be as pale as Shino's.

"Er, sure, Akamaru, friend," he told the dog who glanced at him like he was stupid and sniffed the hand before licking it happily. The sapphire sky blue eyes crinkled again and the black dressed boy smoothed a hand calmly over the dog's head in greeting.

"I look forward to working with you Akamaru, I have heard many good things about your clan," the boy told the dog solemnly. Akamaru barked in agreement. "Do you train with him often?" Naruto asked Kiba who seemed a little thrown.

"Eh?" Kiba asked startled. "Oh, yeah, but we've only been together for a few months so we're still gettin' to know each other." Naruto nodded, gave the puppy another soft pat and withdrew his hand slipping it back into his pocket and sliding his rings back on. The shriek of a fan girl, namely Haruno, made them all cringe.

"Damn!" Kiba said rubbing his ears grumpily as they all stared at the growing cat fight between the blond Yamanaka and pink haired Haruno. "I think she burst an ear drum. Thank kami there's no crazy chicks on our team." His new teammates nodded.

"The kikaichu are overjoyed," Shino admitted. "Why? Because they're glad that they will never be near that kind of shriek again. At least…I hope not." Naruto grimaced and nodded glancing over at the newly formed Team Eight. He felt a bit bad for Hinata-chan and Uchiha-kun. Neither Uchiha nor Hinata looked particularly excited about their final teammate and Uchiha even looked a bit miserable through his stony façade.

"I think Uchiha-kun would cry if it was not unmanly. Hinata-chan is not one of his stalkers however, so he has at least one able bodied teammate." Uzumaki said. "Haruno is going to be useless in the field, unless it relates to mooning over him." Shino snorted in amusement and nodded. Kiba grinned and then winced when the girls started clawing and screaming at each other some more, Iruka's yells to stop them were ineffectual and merely added to the cacophony. There was a reason why he disliked cats, and the fangirls attempts to copy the creatures did not endear them to him.

"Well," Kiba said settling in with the other two boys, slightly more at ease, "I think we'll get along okay."

* * *

"Hello sensei," Shino said calmly staring at the door as it slowly opened. The silver haired jounin blinked lazily at them taking in their three figures and said.

"My initial impression?" He pointed at each of them in turn, starting with Shino, then going to Naruto and Kiba, and said, "Mute, weird, dumb," his gaze landed on Akamaru, "cute." All of them felt fairly insulted.

"Meet me on the roof." He then disappeared.

The general consensus between them was 'he is an asshole.' Naruto glanced at Shino who nodded. The man was prank worthy. They glanced out the window then at Kiba before opting to take the stairs. Both males had been trained in tree-walking early on to enhance their control, though Shino hadn't mastered it yet, and was something ridiculously necessary for Naruto who had an absurd amount in his reserves.

"Dick," Kiba muttered lowly as he followed his two teammates out of the room, Akamaru giving an agreeing bark from his place on Kiba's head. They got to the roof easily and found the man laying down on his side reading a distinctive orange book. Naruto took note and smiled behind his mask, glad to find a weakness while Shino, who also recognized it, had a look of distaste cross his features, wrinkling his brow and causing his sunglasses to flash dangerously in dislike. Kiba didn't appear to know what it is and merely flopped down in a sprawl with Akamaru leaping down from his head to a place on the roof next to them.

"Okay group, introductions. Name, likes, dislikes, and dream or hope." Kakashi said taking them in. Naruto instantly sat between his two teammates, forming a comforting barrier between the noisy Kiba and the nearly mute Shino. Akamaru sat next his master, albeit slightly in front of both Uzumaki and Inuzuka, his ears fondly scratched by his new second favorite human.

Kiba took the lead, "I'm Inuzuka Kiba and this is my partner Akamaru," the dog barked and Kakashi couldn't help but smile at him, reminded of his own ninken, "I like Akamaru and hangin' out with him, as well as training. I dislike cats and my ma's and sister's nagging. My dream is to be the best shinobi my clan has ever seen and to learn all of the Inuzuka hijutsu with Akamaru!" Kakashi nodded and calmly turned to look at Naruto who nodded before introducing himself.

"I am Uzumaki Naruto," he gave a slight bow, which Kakashi answered it a bit awkwardly from his laid out position, earning a laugh from the brazen Inuzuka, "I like training with Aburame-sensei, ramen, pranks, Shino, and the Aburame clan. I have also recently developed an interest in acquiring new poisons and venoms while during bug excursions to the exterior of Konohagakure with my best friend Shino and his clan. I dislike those who kill senselessly, are without true purpose, and belittle others without truly knowing or understanding their victim or their circumstance. I also have a dislike for those who mistreat any form of life be it human or not. My goal is to excel at such a level that I one day become an elite jounin or even Hokage."

"Ah, good," Kakashi said a bit surprised by his sensei's son. He had his behavior and calm demeanor, though he was missing the same hobbies, Minato-sensei had been a fanatic about his fuinjutsu. The last few words in his introduction, however, demonstrated his mother's fire and father's will. Something the twenty-six year old approved of. His gaze lazily moved on and he gestured at the Aburame seated tautly next to the quiet blond who gently scratched Akamaru's back earning a pleased huff with each friendly scrape. "You're next and I'll go last." Shino nodded stiffly.

"I am Aburame Shino," he stated, "I like training, my kikaichu, Naruto, and finding new insects to add to my colonies. I dislike pesticides, fire used to destroy insects with no due cause, and senseless killing as well. My long-term goals are to become an adept leader of my clan one day, master my clan's hijutsu, and find a never before seen insect or an incredibly rare one." Kakashi nodded and tilted his head to the side.

"Well, as you can guess, I am Hatake Kakashi, a jounin. I don't particularly like anything, have few dislikes and no real dreams or hobbies." The trio just stared at him. 'I think we can add on pathetic to asshole,' Kiba thought. The man however, didn't seem fazed and continued, "Meet me tomorrow morning at nine o'clock for your final Genin exam at Training Field 7. Don't eat breakfast if you can, if you do you'll probably puke." He then escaped, shushining away leaving the genin on the roof alone. Kiba blinked at the quick escape before the words sank in.

"_WHAT DO YOU MEAN FINAL EXAM?!" _ He shouted setting off the kikaichu and his two teammates had a hell of a time settling them back down. The loud boy winced since Kiba was fairly sure he could feel the look of utmost annoyance and anger burned into the back of his head. Akamaru merely put his head down on his paws and whimpered at his partner's idiocy.

* * *

Naruto woke up early and stretched. His long blond hair glinting in the weak morning light, as it reached his mid-back in its usual tangle. Sitting neatly in his sleeping kimono he removed his futon and stuffed it tidily into the closet before praying quietly before an altar. Though he may not know who his parents or ancestors were, he could still respect them. After that he began preparing for the day by immediately stripping his night clothes off and brushing his hair out before carefully pinning it up out of the way. His underclothes went on next, a long sleeve mesh shirt over a sleeveless mask shirt that clung to his toned chest, and trousers with multiple obvious and hidden pockets. His weapon cases, weapons, and jacket went on after a quick check to make sure the mask was covering everything. His new hitai-ate was sewn onto the upper left side of his jacket and the metal dulled so it didn't shine. His bandana went on last and after a final check and additions he headed to Sacchi-obaa-san's to pick up the team lunch they'd prepared the previous night and eat breakfast. Something Naruto had come up with after Kiba had apologized and the trio had a 'congratulatory' dinner at Ichiraku's where the dog user ranted for a few minutes in peace over the unfairness.

**_FLASHBACK!_**

_"Enough," Shino finally said silencing the loud boy to Naruto and Akamaru's relief. The small pup had taken refuge in his new teammate's lap and was happily eating pieces of food Kiba had prepared ahead of time. Naruto, meanwhile, was happy to pet and eat his ramen carefully around the small animal, even sneaking him a piece of noodle from time to time. Akamaru was definitely happy with where he was sitting!_

_"All of the teams are going through the same Inuzuka-san," Naruto said wryly when Shino didn't continue to explain and returned to his own meal._

_"Kiba's fine," He said scratching his short hair before slurping up some more noodles._

_"Kiba-kun," Naruto continued. "I'm sure every shinobi went through the same." The dog ninja sighed with a nod and picked up the bowl to drink the delicious broth and catch the last few tasty bits. He sat the bowl down with a clank and sigh of pleasure before a frown formed._

_"I'm not looking forward to missin' out on breakfast," Kiba muttered before ordering a second bowl of ramen with both pork and beef ribs. Naruto merely smiled and finished his third off before motioning for a fourth much to his best friend's exasperation. Shino finished his single bowl and turned to the gyoza he ordered on the side. Variety was best in his mind though he was becoming fonder of ramen if only because of how good Ichiraku's was._

_"I don't think you should," Naruto admitted, "however, I was thinking of talking to Sacchi-obaa-san about packing a group lunch for a picnic for us. If he's even the slightest bit late we can eat early."_

_"Aren't you worried about, y'know, pukin'?" Kiba asked bluntly. Naruto shrugged._

_"One can throw up on a full or empty stomach. It actually hurts more, in my personal opinion, to do so on an empty one. I'll just have something light for breakfast, nothing heavy or greasy that could cause it to upset easily." Naruto said calmly._

_"Hmmm, I guess you're right." Kiba said with a nod before frowning at Akamaru who barked at him. "What do you mean I'd be dumb to not eat? Wait…You just called me dumb!" Shino muffled another snort of amusement and Naruto just focused on getting more noodles in his mouth and not on the dog as he struggled to keep from laughing._

**_FLASHBACK END!_**

Naruto stepped politely up to the open door and bowed, before being motioned in by a bemused Shibi. One would think after six years of living and eating with the Aburames Naruto would have lost some of his stiff and formal politeness. He hadn't though, and it seemed to only grow stronger with each year and kind gesture. Settling in his usual spot he glanced around for Shino.

"He slept a bit late," Sacchi said as she finished placing the food on the table. Naruto nodded in understanding as she returned to the kitchen. Shino shuffled in as she brought out the stacked, multi-family bento box that the blond accepted with a bow of thanks.

"Thank you for all the help last night," he told her as he placed it next to him. The two of them had cooked a large lunch for them all, though Naruto had been uncertain for a few moments what to fix for Akamaru and merely boiled some chicken and kept it in a separate dish to keep it from mixing with anything else. It had all of their favorites and Naruto hoped everyone would be able to enjoy it.

"It was nice to cook with you again, Naru-chan," Sacchi said taking her spot. Shino joined them and studied the boxed lunch for a moment before speaking.

"Winter melon?" He asked staring at it. Naruto smiled. Shino was surprisingly adept at smelling out his favorite vegetable.

"In soup and salad," Naruto answered easily, "we also have miso soup with eggplant, mixed tempura, tamogoyaki, fried dumplings, onigiri, meat and vegetable buns, cold noodles, smoked and grilled fish, garlic chicken," Shino grimaced a bit, recalling the strong smell which Naruto ignored since he liked that kind of chicken, "beef stir fry with vegetables, pork short ribs, and dessert."

"That sounds… Delicious." Shino stated before digging into his rice and pickles. Both were too nervous for anything overly heavy and even forwent their usual tamogoyaki and soup. They didn't want to overburden themselves or their stomachs. They finished and were wished luck. They got there fifteen minutes early and Naruto blinked in surprise at Kiba who apparently _camped out_ at the field. The boy glanced up at them as he paused in brushing his teeth and scratched his hair in embarrassment.

"Aahahahaha?" He said in way of greeting and Akamaru merely gave a doggy sigh, embarrassed by his partner. Naruto set the lunch down and waved off the apology and settled himself on a bench leaving the shadier spot for Shino. Kiba hurried through the last of his morning abulations while Akamaru came up to Naruto and hopped into his lap again. Naruto instantly went about petting and scratching him.

"Akamaru really likes you," Kiba said studying his best friend with some surprise. Inuzuka dogs were usually more standoffish than this. Akamaru however seemed to be even closer to this boy than his own litter mates. The dog barked a reprimand and Kiba scratched his head in embarrassment. "Not that there's anything wrong with you Naruto."

"I've always done well with animals, especially canines," Naruto admitted waving off the implied insult.

"He attracts butterflies as well," Shino said hiding his smirk behind his collar when his friend glared at him. _That_ was an embarrassing secret that was supposed to stay _in_ the Aburame compound and between them. Kiba merely laughed aloud at it. The dog boy's stomach growled and Naruto glanced at him sympathetically.

"Do you want to eat some of the lunch for breakfast?" Kiba nodded sheepishly and Naruto efficiently unpacked the bento and fixed the boy a plate before handing over a cup of soup and eating implements. Naruto then fetched out the boiled chicken for Akamaru and handed it over to Kiba who glanced at it warily, although apologetically.

"Ah, thanks, sorry," Kiba said with a grin and tried a piece of the boiled chicken Naruto made for Akamaru before letting the puppy have some along with some rice and tamogoyaki. Naruto wasn't offended, understanding it was part of training and Kiba's responsibilities. Eating quickly, the genin watched the sun move across the sky and after an hour Naruto built two more plates and refilling Kiba's, so they were all eating and chatting quietly. After three hours the trio were already practicing and sparring. Kiba was pleased to be working with another partnered genin and was fast enough to give Shino a challenge while Naruto practiced some animal related hojojutsu on Akamaru who was amused to be captured and neatly bound. A loud explosion disrupted it all and Naruto nearly face planted in surprise though he quickly untied Akamaru and escaped into the bush to observe, his bo-shuriken1 quickly sliding free from their arm holsters and in the palms of his hand. They were laced in a sedative and mild hallucinogen that would bring down most people and disorientate those more experienced. Akamaru took a stance next to the boy his hackles going up.

Shino and Kiba also retreated, though not into the woods and instantly assumed defensive positions the kikaichu swarming and Kiba moving into his clan's wild taijutsu stance. The smoke disappeared and Kiba face planted.

"Yo," Kakashi said, approving of the instantaneous defensive and observational positions they took.

"What was the third thing Kiba stated as his favorite thing to do," Shino quizzed him sharply.

"Training," Kakashi said with a nod of approval. He felt the subtle pressure of chakra in an attempt to dissolve any genjutsu he may have been preforming and approved further.

"He smells right," Kiba said getting up from eating dirt and whistling for Akamaru who appeared from another spot dashing out to join his partner.

"Hmm," Naruto said coming into the open. "I assume we shall begin taking our test?"

"No questions as to why I'm late?" Kakashi asked a bit disappointed. He had such good excuses too…

"Would you tell us the truth, Hatake-sensei?" Shino said moving up to flank his best friend as he joined them in not quite reaching or kicking distance.

"No."

"Then let's skip the spiel and go straight ta the test," Kiba said with a grin full of teeth.

"Good, now, did you eat breakfast?" He asked. He looked them over and already knew the answer.

"Yes," Naruto replied calmly, "more like brunch to be honest. If you want some food there's plenty waiting for you."

"Aww, well," he said with a put out sigh, he brought out the two lunch boxes, "I guess you won't need this. Good job disobeying your commanding officer." The last sentence was sarcastic and highly unappreciated by Naruto who merely cocked a brow.

"You're our commanding officer?" Naruto asked with an eye smile of his own, "I thought we had to pass a test first?" 'Sneaky,' Kakashi thought as he took in those twinkling sapphire blue eyes.

"I guess you're correct." The jounin said. "Well then, onto the test." He fished out two bells and dangled them before the three boys.

"This test only has a 66% pass rate," he said solemnly. "To pass two of the three of you must get one of these bells. The person who doesn't get a bell will go back to the Academy for another year." Kiba instantly looked fearful though he hid it under bravado while the other two scoffed, or well, seemed cynical in their usual fashion; Shino arching a brow and Naruto tilting his head to the side and shaking it slightly.

"Doubtful," Shino stated dryly. "Genin teams are made up of three genin and a jounin teacher. The only time they're rebuilt after the initial assigning is in the case of a member's death, serious debilitating and career ending injury, or irreconcilable differences and difficulties between the members that result in critical and multiple mission failures."

"Eh?" Kiba asked glancing at his new teammates, his expression confused. Akamaru, however, and Naruto were nodding in agreement. 'It was a sad day in ninja life when your dog was smarter than you, though Kiba hasn't seemed to notice it yet,' Kakashi thought.

"Hm, well," Kakashi said, "you still need to get these bells off of me," he pulled out a timer and set it for an hour, "within this time limit, which is one single hour. The person who I believe fails the most gets tied to one of the training post and left there overnight. Understood?" Kakashi asked. The trio of boys and the puppy nodded. "Good, then ready, set, go!" The trio jumped back into the woods and vanished as the kikaichu attacked him as a distraction.

Eye smiling, Kakashi wondered if this would be the first team he ever passed.

* * *

Naruto and Shino motioned Kiba closer and the trio put their heads together.

"He's weird," Kiba muttered with Akamaru softly barking an agreement.

"True," Naruto said, "but now we plan."

"What about the two bell rule?" Kiba asked worriedly as he crouched next to the bandana boy.

"As illogical as it is, Naruto and I could stand another year at _that_ school if it meant becoming a genin," Shino stated making Naruto grimace behind his mask but nod seriously.

"Worse come to worse, we'll just steal the bells and his book." Naruto said. "We should probably do that anyway."

"His book?" Kiba asked. "That orange one he was reading last night?"

"Yes," Naruto said, "did you recognize it?" Kiba shook his head. Naruto hummed and explained. "It is one of the Icha-Icha books." The dog boy's eyebrows shot up.

"Porn?" He cackled in question, muffling his laughter behind a tanned palm. Naruto pinked a bit and even Shino shifted a bit awkwardly at the blatant evaluation before recovering.

"Well read too," Shino said adjusting his glasses in disgust. "It was practically dog-eared. No offense meant." He said to Akamaru who merely gave a doggy grin of understanding.

"So…" Kiba said with a slow smirk, "get the book and…"

"We win the battle."

Amazingly, all the perverts felt a disturbance in the force at this, especially the Super Pervert and owner of said soon-to-be-stolen book, causing them to shudder and in the case of the Super Pervert flee from his newly made peephole.

Kurenai and Tsunade, along with other kunoichi who strongly disapproved of such habits, felt oddly satisfied.

* * *

Kakashi wasn't surprised when Akamaru and Kiba came charging out from two different wooded positions, they were the team's obvious lead attacker along with Aburame's kikaichu. Since he'd been brushing off the little chakra eaters for the past few minutes, as carefully as possible since he knew the attack was coming with every single gentle swipe. (He hadn't wanted to kill the beetles, he'd seen what happened when you did, and the owner's retribution was a thing of nightmares.) He dodged their oncoming rush with ease and watched them vanish back into the treeline.

He was surprised however, when he felt a slender line collapse under his weight and a net dropping down out of nowhere to capture him. He quickly dodged it and a sudden swarm of kikaichu before ducking a series of shuriken. His one eye widened as the metal stars suddenly exploded filling the area with smoke. His hand went to waist to protect the bells and he quickly fended two attacks to that area. He had to hide a wince when he heard the audible snap of Akamaru's jaws close to his special place though.

He leapt free of the smoke and into another wire trap which this time was sticky like a spider's web. The former ANBU then had Naruto dropping out of seemingly nowhere on top of him, his feet colliding with his stomach knocking the breath out of the former ANBU as the small boy reared back before swinging his fist forward. Kakashi defended himself from a punch and felt the prick of metal on his skin and the slow numbing of a fast acting sedative. 'Damn,' he thought in admiration, 'Assassination tactics with a mix of capture and surprise. Very good teamwork as well,' he finished in amusement.

Naruto's sandals connected with his torso once more and the smallest boy in the group shoved back away from the man's reach, his hands stretching out to wrap the man further in a new part of the web, encasing him. Uzumaki landed and pulled the wires taunt, locking him in with his hands splayed flat and ineffective against his thighs. "_Golden Web: Encased Prey,"_ The trap user said as he planted his feet and weighed the wires down. A swarm of kikaichu appeared and captured the bells from his grasp, as well as something in his hip pocket before they drained him of his chakra. He gave a token struggle, his arms locked to his body. He hadn't sensed Naruto setting up any traps and was rather irked that he'd missed it.

"Got it?" Kiba asked Shino who nodded and a small swarm of bugs appeared dropping something between them. Kakashi instantly sweat dropped and felt a shiver of fear go down his spine. 'My baby!' His mind screamed. Sitting placidly on the ground was his favorite Icha-Icha book. Akamaru sauntered to stand next to the orange bound novel and stood rather perilous over it. His back leg went up and a look of evil crossed the dog's features as well as the boys' standing behind the little dog.

"Please no," Kakashi said, not above begging as a second swarm of bugs deposited the bells next to it.

"Is this a pass, sensei?" Naruto asked mildly and earned a fevered nod. Naruto nodded and the trio turned and walked away.

"Where are you going?" Kakashi called out. He wiggled a bit, hoping the wires would loosen now that Naruto wasn't holding them. He noticed rather belatedly that they were pinned to the ground with weights and seals meant to absorb any chakra that ran over it. 'When did Naruto get into fuinjutsu?' He pondered as he struggled.

"Nowhere," Kiba called back as they settled next to his encampment and the partially eaten lunch. "We're having lunch."

"Aren't you going to get me down?" Maybe he shouldn't have been so lax about his defense, especially when he heard the calm response from Shino.

"Maybe, but you did say the one who did the worse would get tied to a tree."

'Little bastards,' He thought and struggled harder. Feeling no give he collapsed forward limply and miserably eyed his book. 'Fuck.'

* * *

The Hokage had a deceptively somber look on his face when the jounin returned that evening to give their genin assessments. His eyes, however, were silently laughing whenever they settled on Team Seven's sensei. The shinobi in question was currently cradling his Icha-Icha book protectively. All of the jounin were staring at him like he lost his mind as he muttered and stroked it…_Apologetically?_ It was handled with a fondness that wasn't even afforded to some serious romantic partners, and was, quite frankly, incredibly creepy. The Hokage could barely keep from laughing out loud.

"Report, Hatake-kun," Sarutobi said, the humor was apparent in his voice, earning a glare.

"Those little bas—I mean, the genin of Team Seven have passed successfully." The man reported petulantly his bottom lip poking out in a grumpy pout.

"Would you please describe how they passed?" Kurenai asked in interest. The man turned and glared at her.

"They acquired the bells through a startling amount of team work in roughly ten minutes about thirty minutes into the exam." He bit out.

"Did they acquire any…_Leverage?_" the Sandaime asked and the glare was withering. The silver haired former ANBU muttered something lowly. "I'm sorry?" The Hokage asked enjoying this far too much.

"They took my book hostage," he growled out after a moment. "Little bastards."

"Tricky bastards," Asuma said with a grin earning an angry glower.

"Well," the Hokage coughed, preventing the growing tension to come to a boil, "let's get this meeting over with so you can…" He eyed the experienced silver-haired jounin in amusement, "comfort yourself and become acclimated to being instructors. I'm sure it will be an eye opening experience for you all." If no one could meet Kakashi's eye for the rest of the night for fear of breaking down in hysterics it was fine since the man was too busy 'comforting' his 'baby.'

* * *

Tsume pretty much fell over when she learned how her son beat the bell test with his two teammates. While an excellent demonstration of cooperation and teamwork it was hilarious how they used the one weakness their sensei exhibited to ensure that even if the worse happened and only two did pass they could force him into passing all three. It had her rolling on the floor clutching her stomach as tears fell from her face at the conviviality.

Kiba and Akamaru merely sat pleased as they tore through dinner and talking about their two new teammates excitedly. "And, and! Akamaru really likes Naruto." Kiba said while Akamaru yipped in agreement.

"Ah?" Tsume said as she finally got control of herself and sat up, "Uzumaki Naruto, right?" Her son nodded and she fingered her chin in silent thought as her forehead twisted. "What's he like?" She asked since she missed most of his explanations and descriptions while laughing on the floor hysterically. Her own partner returned, finally joining them after having moved out of the room during her flails of excitement and mirth to avoid getting smacked. Kuromaru sat next to Akamaru who instantly curled up next to him, barking up to the older ninken in conversation.

"Quiet," Kiba said after a moment, "nice. He uses wires and fuinjutsu. Poisons as well," Akamaru barked and Kiba nodded before continuing, "He like animals and Akamaru thinks he smells like tempered wildness and power."

"He doesn't seem off or anything?" She asked in concern. While she didn't hate the jinchuriki she had concerns about his stability at times. Kiba thought it over while gnawing on a chewy bit of cartilage.

"Nah, not really, the only thing weird about him is all the glares he gets," Kiba admitted with a confused frown. "Akamaru stole his bandana as a prank, got to keep it though," his mother glanced at the dog who now wore a black bandana around his neck rather jauntily, the pup looked rather well in it actually, "and I accidentally messed up his mask during a spar so he wasn't as covered-up as usual. So while we were walking back people kept giving him these looks. He seemed pretty uncomfortable about it and stuff. The glares were pretty harsh I guess." Kiba frowned at this and Tsume felt torn between feeling proud over her son's immediate close ties with his teammates and the fact one of his teammates might be a risk to him considering what he contained. However, she didn't let that color her voice or face. Mostly.

"Ah," Tsume said with a thoughtful nod. "I guess I can understand that." She muttered.

"Eh?" Kiba said glancing at his mother who winced at the slip.

"Nothing," she said with a head shake, "you were saying he wore a facemask?" Kiba blinked before shrugging off the weirdness.

"Yeah, he's got a really good nose. Not as sharp as mine or Akamaru's but pretty good anyway." Kiba said with a smile, "He's pretty cool and a good cook! Lunch and breakfast was awesome!" Smiling faintly at her son, Tsume couldn't help but think she'd have to meet the boy herself one of these days and make her own evaluations.

* * *

Naruto smoothed his jacket and checked that his bandana was in place before leaving the house and joining Shino on the walk to the training ground, this time Shino carrying the premade lunch. They reached the training ground with time to spare and saw their other teammates already there. Akamaru bounded over and Naruto crouched down to stroke the puppy's head in greeting before switching out the bandanas. This one had a leaf emblem blazoned on black cloth in white and a ragged edge that was further highlighted by a border of bright green.

"Like it?" Naruto asked, "you needed a hitai-ate as well, though it doesn't have a metal plate, sorry." The dog barked in what Naruto thought was a compliment or thanks and hopped into his arms in an excited wiggle. Kiba seemed a bit amused and greeted Shino first while the blond and white dog were talking to each other.

"Got lunch ah?" Kiba said with a grin. "Thanks," and Shino gave a nod.

"Naruto endeavors to make sure we have all the necessities possible," Shino stated, "He enjoys it as well. Why? Because it allows him quality bonding time with my mother, who also likes having someone to cook with."

"That's… Nice?" Kiba replied scratching his head.

"Hello, Kiba-kun," Naruto said finally joining them, Akamaru hopped down showing off his new accessory.

"Nice, Akamaru," Kiba complimented with a wild grin, "Thank Naruto," he said glancing up. Naruto merely smiled happily in a relaxed manner.

"It's nothing," Naruto said waving it off. Another glance at the lunch box had Kiba smacking himself.

"I almost forgot," he said in a mixture of apology and shout, "my ma invited you guys over for dinner tonight if you're free. Y'know, a meet and greet. She said to invite you family as well. So I guess your parents are coming too."

"I shall notify my father," Shino said blandly, a kikaichu fluttering off.

"Will we need to bring anything?" Naruto asked his brows scrunching.

"Nah," Kiba said, "Just come by around seven my ma said. She and Hana are fixing barbeque I think." They'd actually said a nice sit down dinner, but Kiba hardly remembered putting on his shoes this morning, never mind what he was told while half asleep.

"Then thank you for the invite and we will see you then," Naruto said with a polite bow. Shino nodded again and Kiba scratched his cheek awkwardly.

"Well, wanna spar 'til the sensei gets here?" Kiba suggested. Shino buzzed in excitement, no doubt looking forward to finishing what they'd started the other day.

"I'll practice my fuinjutsu, just let me know when one of you wants to switch out," Naruto offered, stepping back and earning a nod from both. Watching them fight aggressively Naruto snickered in amusement.

"Very energetic, like puppies that found a new playmate," he murmured before unsealing his fuinjutsu training equipment. He'd let the boys be rowdy and wear themselves out, he had practice to do.

* * *

Kakashi appeared three hours late once more in a small puff of smoke and took in the scene before him with a sharp eye. Kiba was crouched next to Naruto trying his hand at making explosive tags, the easiest of the seals to make. Akamaru was napping curled between the pair while Shino sat quietly watching as his "brother in all but blood" gracefully guided his new teammate's hand through the motions.

"Keep a constant stream of chakra," the bandana wearing boy said with confidence. The Inuzuka boy had a look of determination on his face and sat back with a sigh as they finished the small strokes.

"Let's test it, shall we?" Naruto said picking it up and wrapping it around a stone before focusing some chakra into it and tossing it into the center of the clearing. It fizzled for a moment before giving a dull thump and catching on fire more than exploding.

"Dammit!" Kiba growled. "I'll never get this!" He scratched his head with both hands grumpily, ruffling his hair with vigor as he worked out his aggressions on himself. He calmed a tad when Naruto touched his shoulder comfortingly.

"It's a fine, you are still a beginner," Naruto said softly. "Shino has no luck with it and it is a difficult branch of shinobi arts to master. It takes a lot of control and power." The feral boy nodded looking slightly more chipper and picked up the book laid out between them to study whatever was on the page intensely. The jounin cleared his throat pointedly and the trio glanced up.

"Hello, my adorable students," Kakashi said, thinking 'little bastards.' He still hadn't forgiven them for stealing his book and tying him up for thirty minutes, though he was secretly impressed by their abilities and attitude. Impressed, but not thrilled to have it used so effectively against him. Again, little bastards. "How are you this day? Did you wait long? I hope it didn't bother you." Actually he did, he hoped it pissed them off as they pissed him off the other day.

"Not really," Kiba said distractedly. "We barely realized you weren't there." A tick mark formed on the silver haired man's head. Shino cocked his head in agreement and Naruto bowed apologetically before shrugging a bit helplessly.

"What are we doing today Hatake-sensei," Naruto asked gathering his supplies and putting them away except for the book he let Kiba borrow. He rose gracefully and approached leading his two teammates over after picking up Akamaru who snuggled into him cutely. The silver-haired jounin relented a bit at that. He was such a sucker for dogs. He still didn't forgive them though.

"Teamwork exercises," he said cheerfully, ignoring the need to wring the silent prank king who gazed so 'innocently' up at him. A devious mind lurked behind those supposedly guileless and sweet, sapphire blue orbs.

"Like the exam?" Kiba asked crossing his arms behind his head lazily, book jammed into his pocket for later. The man twitched visibly.

"No, not like the exam," he grit out. "Battle tactics and group spars."

"Against you?" Shino asked. His kikaichu could be heard buzzing just ever so slightly in excitement.

"Against each other, I want to further assess your capabilities." The jounin stated. Shinobi were secretive so he'd have to—

"Couldn't ya ask us?" Kiba questioned in a rather blunt manner.

"Would you tell me?" The jounin parried.

"Yes," the trio said as a group.

"Our lives depend on your leadership. Hiding skills would be foolish," Naruto stated staring at him solemnly. The man blinked and studied the young genin.

"Okay then," Kakashi said, "We'll begin with a brief evaluation of your capabilities, jutsu knowledge, and stamina. Have any of you mastered the tree-walking exercise?" Naruto nodded and raised his hand, his partners shook theirs. Kiba wasn't even sure what the tree-walking exercise was while Shino had just started on it a short while ago and needed some more time practicing it, the kikaichu eating up his reserves made his control better in some ways but also worse since he didn't use them often outside of clan hijitsu. Kakashi turned to the wire using genin and asked him to demonstrate it before starting the other two on practicing it and taking Naruto aside. He had the boy go up and down a few times before nodding. The blond hadn't lied. He had it down like an experienced ninken's nose after a scent.

"Water-walking?" He asked studying him.

"Aburame-sensei and I perfected walking on water roughly a year ago." Naruto informed him with a proud eye sparkle.

"Why are you so advanced at chakra control?" Kakashi asked, noting Shino knew while Kiba looked interested, both getting up from a recent fall and watching the pair as they paused in trying to go up. Naruto flushed a bit in embarrassment the tops of his cheeks pinking over his dark gray mask. Kakashi fought the urge to coo. He secretly approved of the boy's outfit and was glad to have another mask wearing shinobi on his team. After watching him eat yesterday he knew the boy was skilled and experienced enough to eat without removing the mask navigating the slip built into it like a pro. Not that his teammate, Kiba, noticed and was obviously curious over. He could see the food leading to his teammate's mouth. He just didn't know how it was getting in.

"My chakra reserves are very large and difficult to manage," Naruto admitted. "It's why I can't use swords or long weapons since I put too much strength into things. Instinctive conduction of chakra energy my instructors put it. Wire traps require precision and timing, as well as a good strong yank, so I have no problems with them. I'm accurate with hand weapons, but if it gets too large I have a habit of breaking the item in question." Shino, who had neatly leapt to the ground when he realized he was overpowering his next step and overheard, winced remembering the training staff Naruto had accidentally buried into a training post when his mother had tested him to see what weapons would serve his short height well.

Kakashi nodded, remembering the boy's mother. While Kushina had been a sight and experience using an entire metal staff made of highly conductive chakra metal, she'd gone through heavy wooden, practice ones like toothpicks at a restaurant; shattering them with ease. The blond wasn't done talking either.

"A shinobi also has to keep their presence down, and with my fighting style having a loud chakra presence makes things difficult. I have to keep it under control," Naruto said.

"Can you release it so I can see?" Kakashi asked and Naruto nodded after a moment of hesitation and consideration. His body tensed before relaxing and the jounin blinked in surprise when the boy's energy washed over him energetically in waves, almost excited, as if happy to be released.

"Whoa, AH!" Kiba said falling from his tree in mid-run startled by the sudden flux of power in the area. He stared in surprise at the source and sniffed. His chakra enhanced senses were going haywire at the sudden influx of data. Even Shino seemed surprised as he paused on a branch. His best friend hadn't cut loose often in the past few years. The almost sweet scented waves of energy glossed over both trackers-in-training like the first warm smell of a good restaurant after opening the door when you're hungry; intoxicating and delicious.

"That's a lot of energy," Kakashi marveled, his own nose catching the scent, and the genin nodded, the blonde's body twitching and straining as if to keep from running around.

"Thi-this is quite difficult," the blond said taking off his bandana and his hair sprang free, the long blond strands moving wildly. "M-may I stop?" He asked. The jounin nodded, still flummoxed. Instantly the power dampened going down in steps as it was slowly folded away once more. Both of his teammates instantly missed the sweet smell and coating of power but kept from saying anything, the expression on their teammate's face was one of focused control. The shortest boy's body calmed and the anxious twitches went down until the boy sighed in obvious relief. He sunk to his knees before sitting down completely.

"Tired?" Kakashi asked crouching before the boy who slowly gathered his hair up and draped it over one shoulder to braid. A simple black tie was pulled out of his pocket and draped over his thigh as he wove the soft, golden strands.

"Kind of, it takes a lot of power and control to force it back down, sensei," Naruto admitted as his hair fizzled a bit in his hands. The man studied the hair for a moment before blinking in surprise. He grabbed a strand making the boy pause in surprise and his single eye widened as he felt the energy pulse in the capture lock.

"You use your hair braid as a conduit of power and to keep it locked away," he said half accusingly and half in amazement. Naruto stared at him before shaking his head making the former ANBU pause and say in confusion, "Don't you?" The boy sighed and smoothed the frazzled strands carefully.

"Kind of," Naruto replied, "my hair's reaction to the energy is a result of my training, since I am currently studying under the woman known formerly as Jorōgumo," Kakashi blinked at the familiar title, "in the art of assassination, infiltration, stealth, traps, and battle. One day, when my hair is not only long enough, I'll be able to incorporate it into my fights and my equipment. I don't store my power in my hair to suppress it but to _strengthen_ the strands for their future use. The intricate braids I do help the power move through a conduit in a particular fashion, however at my stage the hair _glows_ rather randomly and is quite distinctive in color and its actions. I won't have it to a proper level to keep the power hidden for another six months, perhaps a year latest. Aburame-sensei says that's when I'll start learning the first of her Hidden Spider Killing techniques."

"Which is why you usually keep it covered," Kakashi reasoned with a slow nod, "The mask?"

"A byproduct of having chakra enhanced senses," Naruto said, "I need to be able to distinguish different poisons, medicines, and antidotes as well as people without relying on my eyes which means I have a heightened sense of smell. I can do it to a lesser extent with my taste and hearing, however, I'm still in training for that since it isn't as instinctive for me for some reason. I'm still trying to get my sense of smell in control too, since it switches on at the slightest jolt." Kakashi nodded in understanding. He had powerful smelling abilities and used the mask for the purpose of hiding his identity and to keep smells at bay.

"It also hides distinctive facial markers." Naruto quietly stated as he tugged down the mask revealing his 'whiskers' with a sigh.

"While it helps build up my stamina although mine is already quite impressive. It doubles not only as a training tool but a filter and a way of keeping my identity hidden." His sensei nodded.

"Are you going to redo the braids?" Kakashi asked as the boy slowly ran his fingers through the lower ends of the strands and formed his hair into a loose braid tying off the end with the ribbon he'd dug out earlier. He earned a headshake as his answer.

"My hairpins true purpose has been lost," Naruto admitted, "they are designed to absorb some of the residue chakra, however at the level I was releasing it at they were overpowered and are now warped. I would have to return to my place of residence to get more and considering we are only practicing today there is no reason for me to go through such efforts. I'll leave it down." The man glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. "It takes an hour and a half to get them right sensei. I have no wish to do it for a second time in a period of twenty-four hours. The hair need to rest anyway since they've been overtaxed in a matter of moments."

"Fine," Kakashi said, "we'll move onto other things. While your teammates work on their chakra control, tell me about the ninjutsu you can do." Naruto sighed but moved into a comfortable seiza position the braid flopping back over his shoulder and his mask repositioned.

"Aburame-sensei has most recently taught me…"

* * *

Sakura was on Cloud Nine, she was paired with the love of her life and Ino-pig was left in the dust! Oh! All the time they would spend together would have to mean something! Thank kami, she'd passed her new sensei's test and her other genin partner was so mild and meek-mannered! It was like she was alone with Sasuke-kun!

Skipping into the training area she positively brightened as she caught sight of her crush. Hiding behind a bush real quick she did a quick check on her make-up and looks before coming out and 'sauntering' over to the boy as he leaned against the tree looking mysterious.

In all actuality she looked like an insane patient, the hip movements ugly due to her mostly prepubescent body. The blue-black haired boy, who was ignoring her, was starting to wish they'd failed the exam and forced back for another year so he could, hopefully, end up on another team. He scowled a bit and glanced around for his sensei and other teammate. They were both better than the crazy pink haired girl who was one of the worse stalkers that he had.

'Seriously,' he thought grumpily, 'anyone would have been better than her, _anyone, _except maybe Yamanaka.' He grimaced mentally and nearly sighed in relief when he noticed Hinata coming towards them. She shyly waved her hand at the two which he returned while ignoring Sakura's bad attempts at cajoling him into talking.

"H-hello, Uchiha-kun, Haruno-san," Hinata said politely, her stutter forced down mostly. Sasuke gave her a curt nod and returned to staring at the gate waiting for their sensei that appeared moments later via shushin.

"He-hello sensei," Hinata immediately greeted earning a gentle smile. The greeting echoed by Sakura moments later, Sasuke giving a brief head nod when she appeared on time.

"Hello, genin," Kurenai said with a smile, "Congratulations once more on passing the Academy and my personal test. Since we're now a group, I thought we'd tell each other a little about ourselves before I see where exactly you are in your capabilities and what specialties you may have. It'll give me a better idea of what kind of squad we'll shape out to be."

"A kind of squad, sensei?" Sakura asked in surprise, her thoughts having never considered it. She's always seen ninja, as well, ninja, these awesome characters that did amazing things and were heroes. All three of her teammates turned to stare at her for a moment, all of them a bit surprised. "I didn't think we'd make a squad, aren't we just going to learn from you until we make chunin?"

"You…" Kurenai started before catching herself mid-reprimand. Letting out a long breath she motioned them over to a bench. Hinata took the center position at her gesture, glancing nervously at the angry pinkette who glowered at her for taking the seat next to the last Uchiha. The boy looked relieved just the slightest bit and glanced at her silently in thanks. Kurenai twitched as the girl opened her mouth to protest. She cut it off before Sakura could annoy her further.

"Hinata-chan, would you care to explain?" The jounin kunoichi said darkly earning a surprised look from Sakura who flinched when she caught her sensei's angry gaze. The Hyuuga nodded taking a deep breath in.

"Th-there are m-many purposes shinobi se-serve, however it is not p-possible for them to serve ev-every single one." She took another breath and forced the stutter away fully. "This is what leads to the different divisions and corps. The most famous ones are: Seduction, ANBU, and the Torture and Intelligence division also known as T & I. The manner in which ninja are divided is through their different skill sets and abilities they hold or have. For those who specialize in chakra control they may turn to the medical corps or even infiltration if they're experienced and a delicate touch with genjutsu. Those who are stronger at taijutsu, ninjutsu, and tracking often work as patrols. Those ninja who belong to certain clans often have an ability that is strong in a specific job, since they are actually bred and trained for this." Kurenai nodded proudly and Sasuke stared at the girl like he'd never seen her before. Sakura just pouted.

"Does that mean one day I'll be separated from Sasuke-kun?" She whined and her other teammates turned and stared at her incredulously. Kurenai nearly gave in and smacked her in the head like she did to Anko when she was acting up, but instead growled. The pink haired civilian born girl flinched again.

"Sasuke-san, do you have an example of this you can share?" She said dryly turning to her lone male student. He nodded stiffly.

"The Hyuugas are well known to be excellent trackers or medical-nins because of their dojutsu. Their fine control is taught from childhood and is almost instinctual allowing for work in many of the finer and less conspicuously powered arts. The Uchihas," he paused here and swallowed around his closing throat, "once served as the Police Nin because of Sharingan. We were able to dissect crime scenes and opponents' moves were almost instantly learned since our dojutsu was able to 'see' the 'undetectable' in seconds. We are also known genjutsu specialists not only for being able to see through them, but to be able to inflict them due to our close studies of the different elements connected to those arts." The woman nodded in agreement.

"Good," the trio ignored Sakura's high pitched squeal in support of the boy and pushed on. "I'm glad you and Hinata took your lessons so seriously Sasuke-kun," she looked narrowly at the civilian who froze under her gaze once more, "it's nice that someone takes this job with the seriousness that it requires." The girl opened her mouth as if to contest this but shut it sharply when the glare intensified. Kurenai was starting to regret choosing Haruno, even if the girl had a good grounding with book knowledge and a fine level of control on her small pools of chakra.

"Listen up," she said sharply, "my job as your jounin sensei is not to teach you fancy jutsu or sparring techniques. My job is to make sure you become the best shinobi you can be, if I find you are dragging us down in any manner," this was said while staring at Sakura particularly sharply, "I will recommend your immediate removal and reassignment. As of yesterday you passed my test by proving you could work as a team, something that is highly valued by our village. However, now you have to prove yourselves as more than just a civilian in a headband. I chose you three for a reason due to my own abilities and hope to pass on skills that would make you part of the elite. However, you will only go as far as you are willing to be capable of."

The trio stared at her, and she knew only one wasn't getting it. Meeting the determined gazes of her two dark-haired students Kurenai wondered if she'd have to get her best friend Anko in on the training with Sakura, the pinkette was going to piss her off no doubt and she didn't have the patience to break a fan-girl out of their irritating and obsessive tendencies. Taking a deep breath she said, "Now, tell me just what kind of shinobi you think you are and I'm going to do my best to make you as capable as you plan to be!"

* * *

Hinata went through the spar nervously, although Sasuke-kun, as he told her to call him, was surprisingly patient matching her move for move as she traveled through her style. Kurenai-sensei was currently berating Haruno-san, a surprisingly bright Academy student but a bit of dumb genin, over her ideology after realizing just _why_ she was a kunoichi. While it was nice that the other girl was fighting for someone else's recognition, Haruno's case, in her teammates' opinion, was straight out wrong.

However Hinata and Sasuke were sparring and she moved away from this as she instinctively moved through the different katas and positions of her family's special taijutsu. Seeing an opening, Hinata moved in and struck, winding her teammate as the open palmed strike punched into his stomach. Stepping back startled she immediately stammered out an apology. She rarely hit anyone while fighting at the compound and her hitting the 'Rookie of the Year' was nothing if unexpected and unbelievable to the shy girl whose only friends were two of the quietest gentlest people. 'Oh no,' she thought at the currently absent Shino and Naruto, 'he's going to hate me… What do I do?' The boy, however, merely straightened and looked her over in approval.

"It is fine," Sasuke said through gritted teeth, studying his opponent. He hadn't thought much of this girl back during their school years, but she was surprisingly capable. The girl had been much like the two shadows, Uzumaki and Aburame, silent and awkward, and spent time with them whenever she seemed to work up the nerve or the class required groups of three. However, she'd proven to be one of the best though her confidence was a bit weak, especially if he remembered her placement among the top three kunoichi who graduated. He had a feeling that if the girl was a bit fiercer, she would have beaten out Sakura and Ino and been the unrivaled best.

"You're a strong opponent," he admitted a bit jealously, "but I will be stronger." He swore. Their teacher had stared at him when he admitted his dream before asking, "And after you accomplish that?" which had thrown him for a loop and forced him to actually consider it. She'd merely sighed and shook her head clasping his shoulder and telling him to think beyond that and consider why else he wanted to be strong. He further considered it as he took the shy girl in. Their fight continued for several more minutes before coming to a pause.

Hyuuga Hinata was weak in many ways, but she was secretly determined and, most of all, kind. Her actions reminded him a bit of his mother, sweet and soft but with a steel-like spine that came out at the oddest of times. While he'd loved his father, he'd _adored _his mother. "Why do you fight so hard?" He asked her as they stopped to catch their breath and check over their wounds. Nothing was serious and, with a little ointment, there would be little pain the next day.

Hinata startled by the question stared at him for a moment, her soft, shy face paling for a split-second before the color returned in a rush and her face firmed in determination. The trembling lips and awkward glances leaving, and a strong, growing kunoichi stared back at him. "I want to change my clan," she said with a whispery voice that denoted no nonsense. Sasuke blinked.

"Change your clan?" He asked as she turned to look off for a bit.

"D-do you know anything about the Hyuugas?" She asked her fingers clenching and twisting and poking together before her waist in obvious agitation.

"No," he'd never thought past his own except about whom he could fight to get stronger, "not really."

"The Hyuugas are divided into two; the Branch Family," she said, "and the Main family." She turned to look at him again, "the Branch family_ despises_ the Main, and rightly so. We-we're absolutely horrible to them." Sasuke blinked.

"Then can't you be nice?" He asked and winced at the naivety in the question. Sadness descended over her features and she sighed.

"Every non-Main Branch member of the family is branded by a seal that is controlled by the Main family, especially the head." She said with surprisingly flatness and anger, "It marks them as slaves and whipping boys to the Main, it _hurts_ them on command."

"I hate it."

Sasuke stared at her, and neither noticed the other two watching them from a bit away. Sakura's face a mix of horror and embarrassment as she took in her own teammate's goal, and immediately hers seemed so selfish compared to Hinata's. A girl who was hoping to change something everyone seemed to stand for.

"I'm weak though," Hinata admitted, "a-and I can't stop it."

"You… You have a seal?" Sasuke asked, feeling a strong amount of anger on the timid girl's part. Hinata shook her head.

"I'm the oldest daughter of the Main house." She stated, "And the possible heir." Sasuke stared at her uncomprehending. "But there's no guarantee I'll be considered the heir after my sister graduates." The implications became clear.

"I won't let you get branded," Sasuke said his mouth moving without his command the words hissed angrily and with clear determination. Resolved. She glanced at him pityingly.

"I hi-highly doubt you'll get a ch-choice in it."

* * *

Sasuke escorted Hinata home and glared fiercely at the guards when they reached the gates, almost blaming them for the slightly smaller genin's troubles.

"I'll see you tomorrow for practice and missions, Hinata-chan, I'll be by to pick you up," he said gruffly as the girl bowed in goodbye to him, his gaze softening on her. She mumbled something similar and disappeared behind the gates which immediately shut, sharply cutting her off from his gaze. With one last dark look at the guards he left, hands shoved deep within his pockets and his shoulders tense with distemper.

Hinata-chan was nice.

She was also screwed over by a sibling more talented than she.

She was him in reverse, trapped by living demons in her waking hours instead of being tormented by dead ancestors and family while asleep. Both of them had doubts about ever completing their dreams and were half doomed in a manner that was apparent and depressing. While he had one enemy, she had dozens.

He punched a wall and cursed when pain shot up his arm, before ignoring it and stuffing the aching hand into his pocket.

Glowering at the ground he returned to the Uchiha compound, for once not haunted by his family's red eyes staring up in death all around him, but instead by a pale faced, lavender eyed girl who seemed more terrified going home than leaving it.

* * *

Kiba's head went up when he heard the shuffle of feet on gravel. Straightening from his place on his bed he scrambled to look out his open window and grinned widely as he saw his teammates make their way up the pathway with two older figures. Both wore modified outfits of their usual genin uniform and Naruto's hair was down instead of in a braid, a dark cream band pushing most of his long hair back leaving two long strands to frame his face.

Their companions, obviously Shino's parents and Naruto's landlords, followed sedately behind them. Shino looked a lot like his dad, though his hair was a bit tamer. His mother reminded him of a deadlier Naruto, no doubt Naruto's teacher in shinobi arts.

"Oi!" He shouted in greeting attracting his partners' attention before clambering out of his window onto the house's patio roof before jumping off, Akamaru following him out. "Hey!" He said when he landed before them and they met him after walking a bit more.

"Hello, Kiba-san," Shino said in his usual stiff manner, "Thank you for inviting us to your home," he bowed and Naruto repeated the same message with an equally low bow.

"Er, yeah, welcome!" He said awkwardly. Akamaru jumped onto his head, before pushing off of his forehead and leaping into Naruto's arms with an excited bark. The blond giggled and cuddled the dog closely. "Aka-ma-ru," Kiba growled and earned a doggy laugh from his best friend who then pointedly ignored him in favor of greeting his favorite blond with continued enthusiasm.

"Kiba-san," Shino cut in preventing another argument while hiding a smile as his best friend cuddled the canine, "may I introduce you and your mother to my parents?" Kiba flinched and glanced over his shoulder to see his mother standing behind him, hands on her hips with an irritated scowl on her face.

"Yes Kiba," she drawled, "have them introduce us _inside_ the house, instead of out here, _as is proper."_ Her son scratched his head in embarrassment and ushered them in, all four giving a polite bow and thanks for the invitation to dinner, Tsume's gaze tracking them as they followed the two Inuzuka in.

When they entered the guest room of the building, introductions were made all around and then repeated when Hana, the clan heir, joined them. "So," Tsume said, as she sat at her place in the front, her gaze on Naruto as dinner got on its way, "I heard you're a trap expert?" She studied the jinchuriki as it cuddled her own partner's, Kuromaru's, youngest pup, Akamaru in his lap. The dog was one of the best hounds ever birthed and she'd been proud when her son and the dog had immediately clicked. With how the puppy was behaving though, it seemed as though it found the human sacrifice just as comforting a presence as his own mother and partner!

"Yes," Naruto answered, "I am training to be an expert infiltration and trapping operative."

"Got any tracking skills," she asked her head cocked to the side, her appraisal of her son's teammate quickly turning towards a positive one.

"I can have some basic understanding since I've worked with Shino and assisted in his own training," Naruto said. "I'm more of a support however, in that type of work."

"Training under me has made him more of a wait until the prey is caught in the web type," Sacchi said with a knife-like smile as she met the brazen woman's eyes, her own narrowing in warning. The blue eyes of Naruto also read with the knowledge he was being judged, however the dark gaze of the former shinobi known as Jorōgumo read deep disapproval and Tsume bit back a sigh immediately abandoning the thread of conversation she'd been attempting to plot out.

Subtlety had never been her strong suit after all.

"Hah," Tsume said, picking up the tea pot, "want some more tea?" She asked shoving the clay earthenware's spout towards the boy. Blinking he brushed a stray strand of gold hair out of his face and smiled politely.

"Thank you," he said with a slight bow offering his empty cup to her. "I am most appreciative." The rigid formality seemed to be a scold and she slightly adjusted her opinion again.

The brat hadn't approved of how she acted either. Not that she could blame him.

Dammit.

* * *

Kiba watched the tension build between his mother and the two more feminine of their guests in confusion. His mother's offer of tea had been an obvious attempt at apology and Naruto's stiff agreement was juxtaposition to his normally friendly if quiet, and slightly distant, demeanor. Sniffing he tried to read the emotions via their scents and ended up having to hide a scowl. The strong scent of the garlic and ginger he'd eaten hid it too well and he grumpily dug into another bite accepting he wouldn't be able to understand that way. He glanced sneakily at his sister from the corner of his eye and took in her appraisal of his new friends and tried not grumble angrily.

'Don't they trust my own judgment and opinion?' he thought, annoyed with them both. He could understand them being protective, but the Aburames and Naruto had been totally, absolutely polite throughout the whole night and his family was acting like a bunch of jerks. Thus, dinner ended on a tense note with his mother and his sister shooing him and his team off to 'play' and leaving the adults behind to 'catch up' and 'get to know one another.' Kiba groused in frustration and led his two new pals up to his room. Glancing back at his mother and sister he offered them a look of complete upset and felt a bone-deep satisfaction when they both flinched and looked a touch ashamed.

Satisfied, the youngest of the Inuzuka main family led his friends upstairs. He wanted to ask Naruto's opinion on where to buy the best fuinjutsu stuff in the village.

* * *

Aburame Sacchi had been retired since her first attempt at getting pregnant some fifteen years ago. Now, a satisfied housewife and part-time instructor with two growing boys she was pissed. Staring at the Inuzuka head silently she wondered if the Sandaime would truly be upset if she donned her old hitai-ate and declared a duel between her and the slightly more voluptuous woman.

"What," she said darkly, "exactly was _that_?" The two other women looked slightly embarrassed and shared a look before Tsume answered.

"I was worried about the jinchuriki," she admitted, "Kiba is quite fond of him and wanted to know how dangerous he was to himself and others."

"So you made a folly of inviting a fellow clan head to dinner and embarrassed your son by unsubtly poking and prodding at a newly made comrade's _abilities_," Sacchi hissed. Her hair crackled a bit as she almost instinctively reached for her jutsu. Tsume hastily shook her head, holding her hands in a silent plea for time and patience.

"I like the kid so far," Tsume said, "But I don't get whatever happened with him. You ain' active like Hana an' me are, we _hear_ things about the trouble the jinchuriki in Suna gives his folks. I ain' sayin' anything against Uzumaki-kun," she said quickly, the rising ire turning to killing intent, she darted a look at Shibi who sat by and refused to meet her eye or give aid, his wife handling things quite well in his opinion, "I just wanna see where the boy stands."

"He doesn't even _know_ about it!" Sacchi almost shouted, her hands going up in exasperation. "He's a shy child who's been _bullied, taunted and tormented_ for _YEARS_. He doesn't deserve your silent condemnation and fear! Do you know they threw him out of the orphanage at the age of six? He's been renting a guest house on our compound since then. That mask he wears? He's _glad_ to be able to hide his features! That bandana? I'm amazed he gave it to Akamaru! He _needs_ it to hide who he is! Yet he gave it away!"

"He's proud of his abilities, is probably the strongest fighter in the whole year group of his. But he will never be acknowledged for it! Not until he _dies_ in his efforts probably!" She continued angrily. "He and Shino could be better than that Uchiha if they wanted, in fact, they _are_ better. Both of them have been training and excelling! I would put them in the chunin exams right this second and they'd pass! With Naruto's chakra reserves and control he could become anything he wants! He used to say he wanted to be Hokage, to be acknowledged. He doesn't anymore! He stopped smiling for a month once when he said that to a stranger and they tried to choke the 'demon brat' for, and I quote, 'talking to their betters and trying to rise above their station in life.' He nearly got beaten to death when he was eight for trying to go to that blasted festival to celebrate his birthday outside for once." She broke her random words spilling out.

"He turns another year older and he doesn't get to have his parents sweep him into their arms and wish him a happy birthday, he's too busy trying to avoid a damn mob of people who _hate_ him for _saving_ them, for being burdened." Sacchi said almost brokenly. "He'd take a blade to the heart for anyone and people only see that _thing_!"

"People were never said to be universally intelligent or rational, Sacchi," Shibi said tiredly. Tsume hunched over a bit embarrassment. Hana didn't meet anyone's eyes, ashamed of herself for allowing rumors from _civilians_ color her own opinions of a fellow shinobi.

"I am sorry," Tsume said, "I am sure he's a great boy, it's just the thing in him is dangerous, the most dangerous of the nine. If the container of the first bijuu is having so much trouble I worry about what will happen if anything ever damages his own seal."

"From my intelligence, the Suna never used a proper seal on their container," Shibi said stiffly as his wife turned away to compose herself. "Further intelligence says the boy is heavily targeted by the Kazekage and attacked regularly by assassins. While Naruto has not had trained assassins after him, until the age of eight he would regularly be beaten, starved, and mistreated by the general populace." Tsume stared at him in shock.

"Aburames always served in the outposts," Shibi said, "our insects are perfect for infiltration and notification, just as we are. We have spies throughout the entirety of Hi no Kuni. As head, I hear things before the Sandaime in some ways."

"Information brokers," Tsume said as she studied the aloof clan head. The Aburame had never fully been integrated into the Village Hidden in the Leaves no matter how loyal they were. It made her wonder what else she'd missed about this secretive intelligent clan.

"Espionage nin," Sacchi corrected turning back. "The best," she smiled warmly at her husband who tilted his head in thanks at her compliment. "Of course, that means they attract the best assassins," she said sweetly.

"Is that what you're teaching him?" Hana asked, speaking for the first time that night.

"I'm teaching him how to be the best shinobi he can be." Sacchi stated proudly. "He's the heir to the Jorōgumo," a lock of her hair freed itself and formed into a sharp point, "he will be the best Jorōgumo and I have no doubt about it. He has a Will of Fire that is unsurpassed."

* * *

A/N: And... Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to all us Americans! I meant to get this out earlier, but I slept rather weirdly. It's up though. If you notice anything off, grammar or spelling wise, let me know, I don't have a beta for this and after re-reading it so much it begins to look solid. Please review and let me know what you think! PMs are welcome too! If there is any term I forgot to explain or you're flat out confused by let me know and I'll get you the definition! Best of days to you!

Terms/Definitions:

1. Bo-shuriken: Unlike the regular throwing stars seen in Naruto, those are called "hira-shuriken" or "shaken", these shuriken are considered and used like darts or senbon. However, like their counterparts they can hold explosives, toxins, and other elements for death. They're similar to senbon but are not throwing needles or used for medicinal purposes.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hey y'all, I'm so glad you like this all so much! I'm hoping to hear from y'all more.

Reviewer:

Hatakehokage: Naruto's a fairly strong individual. Sacchi was a bit expressive last chapter, but he is recovering, you have to remember he's a thirteen year old boy who doesn't understand the animosity, though he's mostly capable of ignoring it. He isn't canon in the fact he isn't 'screw you and the horse you road in on!' but subtle.

Warning/Disclaimer: Please check Chapter 1.

Words: 10,000~

* * *

**Jorōgumo**

* * *

Chapter 3:

Enter! Uzumaki Naruto, D-Rank Missions, and a Minion?!

Nothing will defeat me!

* * *

Naruto was visibly tense the rest of the night though he tried to be cheerful. His offer to take Kiba shopping with Shino and him on their next trip gained him a brotherly head rub from the boy which made the blond squirm. However, when they left both Tsume and Hana apologized for their actions, stating they were nervous about an unknown shinobi being near their relative though their fears were assuaged and that they were wrong in doubting him. Naruto felt there was something else, another reason perhaps, but let it go with a stiff smile and a slightly relaxed manner. After a final cuddle with Akamaru, who seemed determined to make the boy feel welcomed even if his partner's family screwed up, they left.

The next morning the group of genin and one dog met Kakashi at the training ground, this time the man running only an hour late and catching Naruto in mid-spar against Akamaru and Kiba. The boy's hits were sharp and evasive, his body dipping and twisting as his legs shot up and connected in hitting the joints before his hands came in and punched in quick combinations. The attacking style was short, efficient, and brutal. It heavily supporting his attack and escape mentality of fighting. Incredibly useful for a trap artist or assassin when the point was to kill the prey rather than capture or beat it into submission. A sharp series of punches at a few weak spots and one of the few joint locks the style had lead into a full on pinning that had Kakashi's eyebrow arching in amazement and approval. The boy certainly knew how to use his smaller frame against his opponents it appeared.

"Gah," Kiba grumbled as Naruto shoved his face into the ground, trapping one arm under his body and another with his right hand, twisting it back and up. His knees dug painfully into the back of the bigger male's thighs and he shivered a touch when he felt the kiss of Naruto's kakute at his neck. "I thought we said no weapons!" Shino shook his head from where he waited next to a panting and exhausted Akamaru, the training and sparring a bit much for the young hound.

"No," Shino corrected, "we said no projectiles, blades or rope-like objects. Naruto's kakute do not count as any of those things. If anything it isn't a weapon and more of a tool."

"You're a tool!" The boy spat out as Naruto finally released him and got off. Akamaru gave a doggy snicker from his place earning a petulant pout from his best friend.

"Akamaru you're supposed to be on my side," Kiba whined as he massaged his shoulders and arms to loosen them. They ached from the blows and pin, Naruto having positioned them so no response could be easily made. 'The guy was surprisingly strong for someone so damn short,' Kiba thought as he finally got to his feet.

"Sorry, Kiba-kun," Naruto said apologetically, "but I'm trained to kill, not incapacitate like you are."

"There's a difference?" The boy grumbled and Naruto nodded taking the question seriously.

"Your clan is a group of skilled trackers, no doubt meant to go out find and capture individuals. The kills are largely done by a long distance opponent and your fighting style used as a way of defending against a larger group of attackers or if your prey has reinforcements." Naruto said firmly. Kiba grumbled but didn't disagree. It sounded a lot like what his mother would say during training. "While your clan's fighting style is impressive, against someone trained to kill within three blows, a drawn out battle is unfortunate for the both of us. I'm not meant for forward confrontation mostly, unlike you Kiba-kun. Your attacks require groups unlike I who would be working alone or with little back up."

"He has also been trained in his fighting style a bit longer," Shino said supporting his friend and reassuring his teammate. "Your clan starts your training at nine, right?" Kiba nodded. That's when they were deemed large enough and strong enough to learn the fighting since it was riskier than many others due to its brutal nature, before that was lots of stamina and strength training, not that they stopped _that,_ it got heavier and even more exhausting. Shino merely pushed his glasses thoughtfully up.

"Naruto and I both started two years earlier at seven, so we probably have a year and a half on you at least. Though I can't match you in strength, Naruto is merely a nightmare with his stamina and strength being so high. Mother says it is probably due to a bloodline, though we can't be sure since he's an orphan." Kakashi silently and mentally applauded Sacchi-senpai's excuse and finally caught his genin's attention.

"Yo," he said as he joined them, taking in their appearance. None of them looked too battered so it would be easy to get on with doing missions.

"Hello sensei," Naruto said greeting him with one of his usual polite bows. "I hope you are well." The jounin gave him an eye smile and nodded.

"S'up, Kakashi-sensei," Kiba said clambering to his feet, Akamaru taking his usual position on the boy's head. Shino joined the four of them seconds later.

"I was thinking about taking you on your first missions since we started you on your exercises," Kakashi said.

"What kind of missions, sensei?" Naruto asked, "At our skill level, I highly doubt we'll be doing anything too advanced." Naruto remembered Iruka-sensei's lecture on mission levels and discussion both he and Shino got after helping catch Mizuki. That reminded him and he blinked.

"Oh yes," Naruto said glancing at Shino in embarrassment. The other boy seemed to remember at the same time and adjusted his glasses in equal discomfort, "Shino and I completed a high B-rank mission before we met you." Kakashi and Kiba both blinked. The words seemed to sink in faster with Kiba because he reacted first.

"WHAT?!" Their teammate yelled in surprise. "A _B-_rank?! What?! How?!" Shino forced his kikaichu down and the dog user flinched when he heard the irritated buzzing, instantly quieting himself.

"Sorry." He said sheepishly.

"Care to explain?" Kakashi asked, annoyed that he didn't know this tidbit.

"The night we earned our hitai-ate, Shino and I were training out on Training Field 86, the training field that's near the west forest and not used often," Kakashi nodded knowing the training field they'd mentioned, "While there, the traitor Mizuki came charging in to the clearing we were using with Umino-sensei on his tail in mid-fight. Apparently Mizuki had stolen something of value to the village and was taking it to someone on the outside." Kakashi stared at them. They weren't done and Shino picked up the next part of the story.

"While there Naruto and I incapacitated him and held him until ANBU arrived. Iruka-sensei suffered mild injuries that Naruto treated. We then reported to the Hokage and were debriefed." Shino finished. "They're still deciding on how to reward us. There was mentioned of jutsu scrolls or payment via some more advanced tools that are unavailable at our current level." Both seemed a bit pleased at that.

"How did you tie him up? How did the fight go?" Kiba asked, not too interested in the rewards. The fight was the best part and they totally glossed over it!

"Naruto distracted him with Kage Bushin no Jutsu while layering a trap net around him. Iruka-sensei accidentally taunted the man into attacking him thus luring him into the net. While the man was held tight in Naruto's wires I released my kikaichu on him. He fainted from chakra exhaustion and Naruto proceeded to tying him up with his hojojutsu. That one bird ANBU said Naruto was particularly skillful at it." The boy blushed. Kakashi, however, nodded and made a note to speak with Umino Iruka and the ANBU on the team to get further details.

"Sorry about forgetting, we meant to tell you immediately but the bell test and training exercises had it slipping from our minds," Naruto said apologetically.

"Well," Kakashi said with a sigh, "you won't be doing any B-ranks until you're more experienced genin or, in the most likely case, chunin. That is, unless one of the missions is misclassified and goes up in difficulty. That is not overly common, however," he grimaced here, "there seems to be a tradition where the first C-rank for any group, no matter what, always goes wrong somehow. If it does do that, we will cross that bridge when it happens."

"Are we starting off on C-ranks?" Kiba asked. The sensei shook his head however.

"No to qualify for a C-rank you need a minimum of two months of D-ranks and at least twelve D-rank missions at that. We'll be doing missions every Monday and Wednesday. Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday will be team exercises and training. Saturdays we'll work on group dynamics, such as strategy and teaching trips if we can manage. Sundays are your own." The trio of genin and one puppy nodded. "Good, then we'll head to the Hokage's Tower and see the Mission Desk about getting you the first of your missions. They won't be exciting though, if anything they'll seem more like chores. They are, however, to give you time to get used to your team and to remind you of who you're defending and dedicating your lives to." With that the jounin led them away. They had missions to start.

* * *

Sasuke and Hinata stood in front of their sensei while Sakura sulked on the edge, her pink hair pinned up and out of the way and her clothing forcibly changed to something better suited for a shinobi. Gone was the bright red dress and in their place were knee length dark chocolate colored tights, a dark forest green dress with brown bandage wrapped tightly around her neck, upper arms and her waist to keep the dress from catching on anything. While Kurenai wore her white bandage dress regularly, her mission outfits were drastically different when she went outside the village and she wasn't going to let anyone on her team die just because they wanted to look 'pretty and girly.'

"Hello, Hokage-sama," Kurenai said, "We're here for our first mission," the stately man nodded and glanced at Umino Iruka who was sorting through a selection of D-ranks. Before they could be assigned one, Kakashi and his team joined them.

"Hello, Hokage," the silver haired jounin said cheerfully, "Team Seven reporting for duty and a mission." His genin lined up neatly next to him, though one stood rather relaxed-like until his partner nudged him slightly forcing him to straighten.

"Ah, yes, of course, Kurenai-san, Kakashi-kun," he said cheerfully. Kurenai noticed Hinata's shy wave at two of the boys on Kakashi's team and was surprised at the motion. The one in a bandana smiled kindly at her through his face mask, while the taller boy with a raised collar nodded stiffly in greeting. Sasuke caught the motions and studied the two briefly, warily. The blue eyed boy who'd smiled at Hinata caught his eye and offered a smile and slight head nod before turning his focus back to the front. Sasuke recognizing them as two classmates who'd never bothered him before, let it go and focused as well.

"We have two D-ranks available," Iruka said, "this one is for finding Tora the Cat," Kakashi winced as the Hokage handed it to him, "the other is to find all the missing Nara deer in the north-east forest near their compound." Kurenai's eye twitched and her genin sighed. That sounded like it would take hours.

"Dismissed!" The Hokage said cheerfully and the two genin teams left with their jounin sensei. Kurenai noticed as the two she'd seen greet Hinata drop back next to the girl and listened in on their conversation, knowing she wasn't the only one.

"Hello, Hinata-chan," the one in the mask and bandana greeted her in a friendly manner. "How have you been? Settling into your team alright?" The shy girl nodded.

"That is good," the tall boy said. "I am glad for you."

"Th-thank you Shino-kun, Naruto-kun," she said shakily but with a smile. "Are you well?" She asked.

"We have done well with our new team so far," Naruto stated. "We mesh fairly well though Shino's poor kikaichu keep swarming because of Kiba-kun's penchant for yelling." He gently teased earning a huff.

"Ah, Naruto! Shino! Hurry up!" Kiba called and the two nodded. Naruto gave the girl a quick hand squeeze in good bye before jogging after Kiba and the rest of his team.

"Do you like him?" Sasuke asked, feeling jealous towards the masked boy as he stepped up to her side. The feeling was odd and he rather hated it. The girl glanced at him with wide eyes.

"N-naruto-kun?" Hinata said in surprise, "Like a boyfriend?" Sasuke nodded stiffly. She shook her head, "N-no, he's just o-one of my closest friends. Wh-when we were in our first three years of school he and Shino-kun re-regularly saved me from bu-bullies. I-I admire their determination and a-am hap-happy to be on such good terms with them. However, Naruto-kun isn't really int-interested in girls I think, and Shino says love at twelve isn't love but your hormones act-acting up."

"Hn," Sasuke said silently pleased. "You'll have to introduce me some time. I never spoke to them in school."

"They were pretty quiet." Hinata said, "They mostly train and study, so I think you'll like them." Sasuke watched her as she stared after her friends, her face happy, and shrugged. Kurenai watched this with a hidden smile. Already two of the most alone people in all of Konoha were becoming closer. Keeping her hand over an irate Sakura's mouth, she said brightly, "Come on team! Let's go find those deer!"

* * *

Cats, in Kiba's opinion, sucked.

Tora the Cat, in everyone's mind but specifically Kiba's at the moment, was a demon that should be killed.

Groaning, Kiba resisted the need to rub his cheeks, the scratches covering them would only make that idea painful. Naruto sat next to him gently treating the marks he got on his arms while Kakashi handed the irate feline back to its owner. A lucky mix of kikaichu, sleeping dart, and one of Naruto's hemp nets had caught the demon although poor Kiba and Akamaru had served as bait.

Damn cat.

Finishing with his teammate's arms, Naruto moved onto treating Kiba's face. The cleaning solution on the small pad stung and Kiba hissed earning a chuckle. "That hurts," he yelped as the cotton pressed firmly against one of the deeper cuts.

"Keep still," Naruto advised firmly, his fingers deftly treating the dog user. Akamaru had already been taken care of, having gotten a rather nasty bite on his ear that Kiba's sister would need to look at later. The blond's own bandana had suffered under the cat's claws, and his mask was ripped in a number of places forcing its wearer to discard it, much to Naruto's dismay. Kiba grumbled but watched his teammate's face as he gently went over the different wounds, treating them.

'He looks so girly,' Kiba thought with an inner chortle at Naruto's long lashes, big eyes and girly looking face.

"Naruto do you like… Ever pretend to be a girl?" Kiba asked and Akamaru stared at his partner in disbelief. Shino, catching the comment, turned and stared at him as well. Naruto, however, just nodded.

"What?" Shino said goggling at his best friend in shock. "Are you saying you cross dress?" Naruto nodded again. The Aburame's remarkable brain shut down and he stared uncomprehendingly at the blond. Naruto rolled his eyes and slapped the final bandage on earning a yelp from Kiba.

"Shino," Naruto said, "why was your mother known as the Jorōgumo?" That prompted to boy's mind back into working.

"She was able to get to different targets by pretending to be high class geisha, prostitutes, wives of diplomats, and other female characters. Her techniques allowed her to enter unseen as any more than a pretty civilian or bed partner and leave with the mission complete. Often times she'd escape just by screaming in 'surprise' after 'finding' her target assassinated the next morning." Shino reasoned. He stared at his friend, still confused and said, "So?"

"So," Naruto said in a rare show of exasperation, "Ninja are never meant to be what they appear on the surface. One has to _look beneath the underneath._ By learning how to do different roles in _both_ sexes I can become an expert assassin. A mark of my graduation from under Sacchi-obaa-san is to develop a technique to support this work and carry out an assassination using it and only the skills I've developed as an apprentice to the Jorōgumo. I already have the technique; I merely need to get the assassination done."

"Can we see the technique?" Kiba asked and Shino nodded in curiosity. Naruto sighed but gave in. He stood back a few paces and went through a series of seals before saying, in embarrassment, "Orioke no Jutsu1!" A poof of pink smoke and before them stood a beautiful girl with long elegantly done black hair swept partially up, soulful black eyes, and pale skin dressed in a sexy, geisha outfit that covered a very well developed body. Her make-up was done elaborately and Naruto quickly flicked a fan open to cover his face shyly, the blush on his cheeks real.

"Whoa," Kiba said gawking at his male teammate. "You're freakin' hot!" Naruto blushing snapped his fan closed and, in a poof, changed back into his usual form.

"That is quite impressive," Shino stated forcing his mind to actually work, "how is it different from a regular henge?"

"Regular henge can break under pressure or use of chakra, Orioke no Jutsu," he flushed in embarrassment at the name, he had come up with when he was younger so he figured it was okay, "transforms the body completely allowing for," Naruto turned bright red at this, "a variety of acts." Kiba's mouth dropped open.

"You mean you can…" Naruto covered his mouth quickly, cheeks flushing further. Shino was starting to get concerned, he didn't want Naruto overheating.

"I've never tested it," he said haltingly, "but I can fight and use my jutsu while transformed via my Orioke." Kiba nodded, equally in embarrassment and turned away to stare at the wall. Scrambling for a bit of his dignity, Naruto said, "I'm going to the bathroom. Please tell sensei I'll be back in a moment."

After he left, Kiba turned back to Shino and asked, with all serious, "Is it gay to want to do stuff to Naruto when he's like that or like… Perfectly straight?" The Aburame heir barely kept from smacking himself in the face. He did, however, punch his teammate in response. Cradling his jaw, Kiba muttered, "Stupid question." Akamaru rolled his eyes and hurried after Naruto, he wanted better company than his hormonal partner right now.

* * *

Naruto returned and was surprised when the Hokage asked him to wait for a minute. The hokage had always made sure to look out for him after learning of his abrupt departure from the orphanage six years ago and he guessed that he was looking in on him. 'Probably a check in to see how I'm doing,' the blond surmised with a fond smile. The two chatted for a bit as they caught up before Naruto finally made to leave, his teammates going to meet for dinner, when someone burst into the room and tripped over nothing.

"Fight me old ma—Jurk!" The boy shouted before falling flat on his face, having choked himself with his overly long blue scarf before promptly tripping on it.

"Honorable grandson!" Someone called as their hurried sounding feet carried them towards them.

"What in the—" Naruto said before getting cut off. Dressed in a shirt, shorts, a ridiculously long scarf of blue and with a weirdly shaped gray helmet that allowed a small ponytail of brown hair to stick out from the very top was a small boy. His head went up and he glared angrily at Naruto who stood in parade rest several feet away.

"You tripped me!" He shouted angrily as he jumped to his feet. "You set a trap!" Another shinobi came rushing in.

"There's no trap, Honorable Grandson!" The man exclaimed giving Naruto the stink-eye. The blond dismissed him and focused on his accuser, instantly annoying the 'elite' shinobi who recognized him since he was without his usual mask and bandana.

"I did not." Naruto said coolly. The boy visibly pouted and screamed again.

"YOU DID!"

"Little boy, it's rude to accuse someone for one's own failing. Please accept that you tripped over yourself and leave. You cannot just barge in on someone when they are in a meeting, especially between a military leader and one of their subordinates." Naruto stated firmly. The boy's face scrunched up in anger.

"I'm the Hokage's grandson! You can't tell me what to do!" He shouted before tossing a collection of shuriken at him. Naruto caught them easily and tucked them into his pocket with an out of character eye roll. The Hokage sighed and shook his head.

"Honorable Grandson!" The man exclaimed. Seeing his first attack was ineffective the small boy charged his 'opponent.'

"I'll get you!" The boy screamed and Naruto sighed catching the brat by his collar and holding him out, dangling in the air like he preferred to have held and carried Tora if he wasn't so sure the animal would have escaped readily.

"Let me go!" The boy cried out thrashing wildly.

"Let him go, he's the Sandaime's grandson!" The shinobi protested angrily. "You can't harm him!" Naruto cocked a brow at the Hokage before dropping the kid down on his butt. The kid hopped to his feet and scrambled to hit him but Naruto merely pressed a hand to the kid's forehead and kept him shoved away, the pint-size child swung at him wildly though made no contact. Both Naruto and Hokage exchanged an exasperated look. The boy's tutor was puffing up like an irritated peacock and Naruto would have liked to pull his tail feathers out forcibly or used one of his few katon jutsus to light them up.

"If he's so weak that he needs his grandfather's protection," Naruto drawled, "His grandfather shall have a say. Hokage-sama, may I?" The Hokage sighed and nodded. Clenching his fist Naruto brought it down on the boy's head just like Iruka did to his more troubling students.

"ITAI!" The boy said before staring at him in amazement. "Whaddaya do that for?!" He couldn't believe somebody actually hit him.

"You are careless and you are weak," Naruto stated, "Become strong enough that people speak your name first and then remember you were a Hokage's grandson." He turned and gave the Hokage a bow. "I'll take my leave then, if that is alright with you sir," Naruto said with finality as the shinobi instructor and his student gaped at him.

"You're free to go, Naruto, I'll see you when you report for your next mission." The Hokage said. The boy gave a final bow and disappeared through the doorway. Sarutobi watched his grandson stare after the genin in amazement before dashing after him, his tutor still stunned stupid. Covering his face with his hands, Hiruzen felt his age. He just hoped Konohamaru didn't do learn anything weird following Naruto around.

* * *

Kiba was laughing his ass off when he saw that Naruto had picked up a stalker. Behind Team Seven, ill hidden, was Konohamaru. The younger boy followed Naruto by dashing in short sneaking darts after him, and stalking him by hiding rather badly behind trashcans, electricity poles and corners. Naruto sighed behind his replacement mask and glared at both of his teammates.

"You guys go ahead," he finally said, disgruntled, "I have to see what he wants." Kiba shrugged and Shino nodded leaving their third teammate behind. Walking towards the incorrectly positioned fence tarp, he grabbed it and pulled it down slightly.

"What is it?" He said mildly. "Is there something I can help you with?" He asked. The boy flushed.

"I want you to teach me! Boss!" He shouted and Naruto clapped his hands over his ears to block out the loud noise. He was much too similar to an Aburame after all these years.

"Okay," Naruto said slightly dazed, "What _exactly_ do you want me to teach you? I'm a genin, a brand new one at that. A rookie genin as they like to call us." The boy blinked at him.

"Don't you have some awesome jutsu?" He asked. "Like… A signature move?"

"I have techniques I painstaking labored at for _years_. I do not have a signature move."

"That's lame!"

"No, signature moves do not belong in the shinobi world, signature moves belong in _manga_." The blond replied. "A shinobi trains in all manner of things to become strong. There is no _one_ move that makes them all powerful. Power is gained through hard work and dedication. No short cuts, no one size fits all. You tailor your abilities to what you are willing and able to do and fulfill your goals and requirements." Naruto said sternly. "A shinobi is a weapon of the village if you are going to go into battle with inferior grade weapons, then you shouldn't bother at all. It will only result in pain, defeat, and misfortune on the part of you, your teammates, and the mission's objectives."

"Then… You have a whole bunch of awesome techniques...?" Konohamaru asked. The genin sighed and gripped the boy by his collar before slinging him onto his back.

"Hold on kid, I am going to take you to my favorite spot in the whole village." Stretching his legs out, Naruto did something he hadn't in a while. He ran full melt through the streets, leaping to and fro from the sides of the buildings while using shortcuts he'd learned while fleeing from mobs. All the while Konohamaru gazed around in wonder. There was no wind today but his hair fluttered and a cool breeze hit his face.

'Wow,' he thought glancing at the ninja below him in surprise and amazement, 'it's like flying!' They swiftly cut through the forest and up a path to the top of the monument. They landed tidily and Naruto let him off his back.

"This is my favorite spot," the blond said with a smile.

"What do you see, kid?" He asked looking down at the village.

"The village?" He said questioningly up at the genin. The older boy smiled at him.

"Anything else?" He asked.

"The gate?" Naruto shook his head at the answer.

"Life," the blond said, "people, kid, look around," he gestured as he sat down and crossed his arms over his knees and leaning forward. "There are thousands of people in Konoha, thousands of people who depend on shinobi and one another to be happy, safe, and loved," the genin said, Naruto's eyes moving over the different districts and buildings with a fondness. "Now what makes up Konoha, hm?" The brunet stared at him not comprehending.

"The buildings?" Konohamaru asked, knowing he was missing something. Naruto sighed and shook his head.

"Come here kid," Naruto said, "what scares you the most?"

"Not being recognized," Konohamaru answered instantly before slapping his hand over his mouth in embarrassment.

"Hm, sounds pretty similar to my own fear," Naruto answered.

"It is? I mean, aren't you a little old to be scared?" The Academy student asked. Naruto sighed.

"You are never too old to be scared," Naruto said patiently. "The thing that scares me the most is being alone and losing all of my precious people that I have now and could have in the future."

"Precious people?" Konohamaru asked.

"Your jii-chan for example," Naruto said. "He is one of your precious people right?"

"Yeah!" Konohamaru said in instant agreement. "He's a stinky old fart but I wouldn't give him up for anything!" The man in question coughed in embarrassment as he observed them via his crystal ball and muttered impertinent under his breath.

"You'd do anything to protect him, right? Beat up anyone mean to him?" Naruto continued.

"Yeah of course!" Konohamaru replied. "Nobody messes with anyone I care about! I won't stand for it!" Naruto laughed warmly and smiled brightly at him.

"That's how your grandfather and I feel about this entire village. That's what every shinobi feels when they go into battle if they're good shinobi. Dedication, love, and perseverance. A true shinobi does not learn fancy moves so he can impress people or win fights, he learns fancy moves and wins fights for his precious people."

"Konoha is the home of these precious people."

"That's why I fight and train and learn." Naruto stood up and picked the boy up so he could get an even better view, "what about you kid? Do you see and get my point?" the boy nodded slowly eyes wide and shining.

"You got it, Boss!" He said thrusting a clenched fist into the air. "I'm going to become strong enough to protect the village and all my precious people!" He shouted.

"Good little minion," Naruto teased. The boy pouted.

"I'm not a minion," he whined, "and my name isn't kid, it's Konohamaru!" He bellowed. "I'm gonna be the strongest ninja I can be and protect all my precious people!" Naruto laughed in delight.

"You'd better or I'll hit you even harder than I did in Hokage-sama's office!" Naruto said with a bright smile.

"Believe it, Boss!"

"Better show it then!"

"OKAY!"

* * *

"So you have a minion?" Shino asked in amusement.

"I am his boss am I not?" Naruto shot back with a grin, "that makes him my minion, no?" His best friend snorted and turned back to his book while shaking his head.

"I cannot agree or refute that statement," he said blandly. "But it does appear you have a little tagalong now." Naruto smiled ruefully.

"Yes, indeed I do," he said in confirmation. "He's an okay kid though."

"What did you do with him for the past three hours though?" Shino asked. Naruto had missed dinner with his teammates, though neither really minded since Kiba had been dragged away by his sister to do chores he'd been slacking off on and Shino had gotten caught up with a semi-rare insect.

"We played 'ninja,'" Naruto said with a smile. "And I taught him some."

"Played ninja?" Shino asked amused. "He does know you're already a genin right, with a hitai-ate and everything?"

"He calls it training," Naruto replied mildly. The kikaichu user snorted in amusement.

"So how did you play…Ninja?" Shino queried.

"It was like advanced tag, I showed him how to set traps and then had him hide while I tracked him and graded them," Naruto said. "He did fairly well. He's got a steady hand, although he needs some work on his chemical knowledge since he can't make smoke bombs all that well."

"You also said you were teaching him?" Shino pointed out. "What did you teach him?"

"I started on some of the simpler traps of course, chakra control, henge and a defensive kata. I could have done more, that is, I would have until his bratty teacher showed up and tried to drag him away." Naruto frowned at this. "I hate Ebisu, he was unnecessarily rude."

"What happened?" Shino asked seeing the dark look. He shut his book and sat up straight meeting his best friend's gaze behind his sunglasses.

"Well… It happened like this…"

_Flashback_

_Naruto had Konohamaru set up basic traps, ones that Naruto taught him first, and hide from the genin, as training on being stealthy. Giving the boy a ten minute head start after the last trap was laid he set off. Expertly dodging through a few simple traps, eyeing them knowledgeably to see how well they were hidden and made, he tracked the boy. 'They were passable,' he thought quietly to himself and Naruto had no doubt that the boy would learn to make them even better with some time and practice. Following his trail through the trees he easily leapt from one to the other, controlling his chakra in steady bursts._

_He caught sight of the scarf and grinned, "Found you!" He sang out, capturing the boy easily, earning a startled but excited yelp._

_"Wow!" Konohamaru said stopping the watch with a click taking in the time. "That was so fast, Boss!"_

_"That's what training gets you," Naruto said cheerfully putting the boy down and resetting the watch._

_"I left the traps up for you to dismantle, they're passable but a few looked pretty flimsy," the boy pouted but Naruto ignored it easily. "I want you to dismantle them and return to me as quickly and safely as you can." He ordered him lightly. The boy nodded and ran off. Fifteen minutes later he came back carrying all of the equipment with a grin._

_"Good job," Naruto said with a smile. "What did you learn?"_

_"Easiest way to dismantle is to trigger 'em!" He answered. "Well, the wire ones at least." Naruto nodded. Most traps were elaborate in set up but simple in removal if the person making them knew what to do._

_"So…" Naruto said trying to figure out what to do next, "want to learn henge?" He really had no idea what to do with the kid._

_"Henge? A jutsu?" The boy brightened._

_"Yeah, do you know the symbols for it?" Naruto asked._

_"We haven't started learning them in class yet but… I was taught a few by that Ebisu guy," Konohamaru said with a shrug. Naruto nodded and thought it over for a second._

_"Well, let's get you down for the different hand seals and then I'll show you the jutsu, it'll be very basic though." Naruto warned him. Konohamaru merely grinned._

_"Basics are gonna make me an awesome ninja right?"_

_"Right."_

_"Then I'm okay with that!" Naruto smiled and ruffled the boy's hair._

_"Okay then," he said showing him the first one, "this here is…" They went through each seal, Naruto patiently correcting the boy just as Sacchi-obaa-san had with him when he was first learning. When he got it down, Naruto demonstrated a simple henge into Iruka-sensei._

_"Owah!" Konohamaru gaped, "You look just like Umino-sensei!" Naruto gave an in character sheepish smile and scar rub before changing back in a quick pop._

_"Now I want you to try," Naruto said crouching down, "visualize who you want to turn into, their clothes, their skin color, even the way their hair usually is. When you get that image hold on to it and do the jutsu." Konohamaru nodded with determination and went through the seals before shouting._

_"Henge!" The boy was surrounded by a cloud of smoke before it dissipated to reveal a rather bad copy of the Hokage._

_"Not bad for a first try," Naruto said with a wince. Konohamaru released it with a pout. Ruffling the boy's only available hair, Naruto suggested, "Why don't you give it another go. Remember everything about the Hokage this time, from the way he smells to the way he talks. Everyone needs to practice to get better Kono-kun, don't let it bother you if it's not perfect the first few times." The boy brightened at the first use of a nickname and set his mouth into a line of determination._

_He would get this._

_Two hours later he was able to perform the jutsu fairly well and his smile was brilliant at his success._

_"Good job," Naruto praised. "You did well." The boy hugged Naruto's waist in thanks. He rarely if ever got praised for his actual accomplishments, never mind actual lessons._

_"Thank you, Naru-neechan!" Naruto flinched at the name._

_"Ano, Kono-kun, I'm not…" He was interrupted however when a loud bang in the clearing next to them announced someone's arrival via shushin._

_"I found you!" Ebisu shouted grabbing Konohamaru up by the scruff of the neck._

_"Lemme go!" The boy shouted flailing. "I don't wanna go back with you, jerk!" He kicked and punched ineffectively at the tall shinobi._

_"Please release him," Naruto requested mildly, irritated at the manhandling of his student and friend._

_"You ran off with the Honorable Grandson!" The man accused and Naruto rolled his eyes a second time._

_"No," the blond genin drawled, "you lost him. Some elite shinobi you proved to be." The man colored. Naruto was hardly ever this rude or sarcastic, but people like Ebisu just rubbed him the wrong way._

_"We're leaving Honorable Grandson! You've skipped enough lessons today!"_

_"Lessons? You call those lessons? I've learned jack from you, jerk!" Konohamaru protested. "Naru-nee-chan is a better teacher than you!" Naruto twitched at the incorrect suffix but let it go for now, he could always correct him later. "The Boss is teaching me how to protect my precious people!" Naruto smiled a bit proudly at Konohamaru's proclamation. It was good that such important values were being passed down, and now surely the man would understand. Ebisu, however, scoffed._

_"Oh? What have you learned from…him? The little brat's pathetic, and wouldn't be able to do anything, let of all protect someone. Probably just get them killed." The man said and both of them stiffened in outrage. Naruto's fine patience came to an end and he summarily put himself in to what Sacchi-obaa-san called, his 'work space of mind.'_

_"Konohamaru, remember what I told you about fighting off perverts?" The blond asked in a deceptively calm manner._

_"Yeah, Boss!" The boy shouted. "SING!"_

_"Then proceed." Ebisu, however, was a ninja and never learned to fear women, he was a closet pervert unable to even stand being near one without panting heavily._

_So he was unprepared when he sneered, "Sing? Show me you're sing abilities then."_

_"They're not abilities," Naruto said with a frown. "They're an acronym for what, Kono-kun, please demonstrate." The boy smiled wolfishly and reared his leg back and started with the first with a shout._

_"Stomach," the boy gave a hard kick to the stomach making the man drop him in surprise as his breath left him with the incredibly painful move, "Instep," he stomped hard on the arrogant snot's foot as he landed, grinding down to increase its effectiveness, "Nose," the boy jumped up and kicked the man in the face leaving an imprint of his sandal and landed pulling back his a properly curled fist and shouted, "GROIN!" The ten year old's fist plowed into the shinobi's jewels, his punch properly formed and stance solid just like Naruto had demonstrated and taught._

_"Urk!" The tutor said as he finally collapsed to the ground. Konohamaru straightened and propped his hands on his hips with a grin, chest puffed out proudly._

_"Looks painful," Konohamaru said with satisfaction and a firm nod denoting how pleased he was, "good."_

_"Konohamaru," Naruto said primly. "Remember what it is for."_

_"I remember Boss, only against perverts or in emergencies!" Konohamaru answered flashinig a quick victory-sign with his fingers._

_"Good. Now, since he appears to be unconscious I'm going to take this opportunity to show you how to tie up bad guys," Naruto said with a slightly evil glint as he pulled out a hank of hemp rope. "This is a very good skill to learn so watch closely._

_"You got it, Boss!" Konohamaru said excitedly. The duo quickly went through one of the basic hojojutsu techniques. Naruto graciously untied Ebisu from the example and let Konohamaru practice, doing it with careful precision. When they were finished the man's ankles, wrists, and neck were connected to one another and he would have difficult moving, let alone escaping. Feeling generous, Naruto was willing to toss a rope over a branch and haul the man's undefended body into the open air away from predators his soft unprotected stomach dangling down in an uncomfortable arch. Smacking his hands clean of dirt the genin turned to smile at his minion._

_"Good. Now, do you want to go get a snack?" Naruto chirped cheerfully._

_Konohamaru cheered with an excited head bob before they left._

_Flashback End._

"And so we got dango, and while eating he fell asleep so I took him home before coming back." Naruto finished his tale of his adventure with the Sandaime's grandson.

Shino stared at his best friend silently, his face slightly slack in incredulity.

"You taught a ten year old how to fight using SING? Didn't you get that technique from attending some anti-rape class with Hinata-chan?" Shino said in disbelief.

"Yes. However, the technique _is_ effective in its usage." Naruto replied mildly, "After all, he is the Hokage's grandson and an Academy student so some form of defense was needed to be taught to him. As it is, he will not start actually fighting with taijutsu against his peers until the new school year," Naruto reasoned with a smirk. "Iruka-sensei, I am sure, will appreciate a little outside coaching."

"Of course," Shino said. A companionable silence formed after that as Shino thought it out.

"How long was he in that tree for?" Shino asked when he realized Naruto hadn't mentioned whether or not the shinobi had escaped to harass the pair further.

"I have no idea actually. That depends on whether or not he got out of Kono-kun's hojojutsu practice yet," Naruto stated. Shino stared at his friend before turning back to his book. The shinobi was, supposedly, an elite jounin, so if he couldn't get out of a ten year old's inexperienced rope work he deserved whatever came for him.

* * *

Kurenai was surprised to see Kakashi seated at the bar nursing a cup of sake, his little orange book out of sight. "Kakashi," she said as she sat down next to him earning a disinterested glance.

"Kurenai," he said placidly. "Hard day?" He took in her slight mussed and put out state. She looked like she'd been dragging things through the forest and bush all day. She had to be exhausted to go out for a drink without changing. She was a bit of a clothes horse like that.

"Nara deer are just as lazy as their masters," Kurenai said ruefully and motioned to the barkeep to get her own battle of sake and a cup. They appeared quickly and she let out a long sigh of relief after her first cup. "They don't spook or anything, just stand there staring with strangely intelligent eyes that look almost amused. Don't fall for bribes either, not unless they're especially witty. Of course, for certain foods they'll move easily." She snorted in humor as a sudden image came up and Kakashi glanced at her in question. She smirked and explained.

"Just remembering Haruno's face when one of the deer decided her hair was cotton candy and would be delicious to eat, then when the rest made a consensus that it was time to try it," Kakashi's face morphed into a smirk and the silver haired jounin laughed.

"The deer tried to eat one of your genin's hair?" Kakashi asked.

"You're saying it like as though the deer didn't succeed, they easily got several centimeters," Kurenai replied wryly. Kakashi perked up with a grin.

"Tell me more."

Kurenai worked through her second bottle and Kakashi his third when they were joined by Asuma who sat down with a grunt.

"Asuma," Kakashi said way of greeting. Kurenai just offered a smile. The man didn't say anything immediately and instead the two watched as the man got his bottle and knocked it back with relish, not even bothering with the cup, gulping it like a dying man of some sort.

"I'm probably going to choke one of my genin," the former Guardian Twelve ninja stated mildly when he finished his bottle. "They suck." Kakashi couldn't help but snort.

"Who's getting on your last nerve?" Kurenai asked curiously. "Yamanaka?"

"Pretty much," the smoker replied. "Damn girl keeps moaning about the Uchiha and how much the other two suck or how this is doing nothing for her diet… It's annoying."

"Diet?" Kurenai asked in disbelief. "She's twelve! And a ninja! Unless she's pigging out I highly doubt she needs _to_ diet. Unbelievable."

"You are going to beat it out of her head, right?" Kakashi asked mildly. "I remember that chunin Umino suggesting a visit to Anko's." Both Kurenai and Asuma stopped to think it over before sighing.

"Haruno's fairly useless, however I have another five and a half months to fix her, if that doesn't work I'll withhold their application to the Chunin Exams," Kurenai muttered. "Hinata and Sasuke seem to know how to be good shinobi, I just have to curb some of their worse obsessions and boost up their confidence."

"Ino just needs to be dragged out of the mentality that she's better than everyone and doesn't need to practice as much since she's the heir to the Yamanaka clan. The other two are just not motivated by the right things. However, they're less of a headache than the kunoichi." All three jounin grimaced.

"None of my brats are like that, but I think that's because Uzumaki and Aburame balance Inuzuka out. They're already fairly close knit for a group that's only been formed for a few days. I have to leave all my books at home or in my pouch when I'm with them though," Kakashi said with a sigh at the end.

"You do?" Asuma queried in surprise.

"They're willing to work," Kakashi said. "Plus I really would rather not get my favorite book stolen by them again in one of our practice spars. The last time I brought it they left me tied up for an hour in a web trap and had the book covered in puppy pee." Both of the other jounins laughed at this and Kaksashi merely pouted under his mask as he filled his cup once more and drank from it.

When Asuma and Kurenai got a hold of themselves, Asuma leaned forward and grinned, "Whaddaya say about pitting our two teams against each other in a training exercise? Y'know some spars?" Kurenai perked up at this.

"I wouldn't be against that. Sasuke-kun could use a male partner to fight against. As it is, he only has Hinata-chan that he can practice with. Sakura-chan's too useless in anything physical to make an attempt," Kurenai said. Kakashi fingered his chin thinking it over.

"We have practice tomorrow, so why don't you bring them over whenever? I'll let my genin know, I'm pretty sure they'd be happy with it." Kakashi offered.

"Good!" Asuma said with cheer before flagging down the barkeep, "I need another two of these!" He explained, "I've got my first genin team and I promised myself I'd have one for each of the little troublemakers, might even make it two, since it's been that bad of a day."

* * *

Naruto was surprised to see Konohamaru bright and early the next morning but allowed it since class didn't pick up for another week and a half. Letting him in, the younger boy marveled over the fact he lived alone and among the 'secretive' Aburames.

"So you want to train under me still?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah! You're the best ever, nee-chan!" Konohamaru expounded. "Ebisu didn't get out of my rope ties until after midnight apparently! Jiji-chan showed me via his crystal ball!"

"Wasn't that a little late for you to be up?" Naruto asked in humor though he made a note to correct the boy's assumptions on his gender once again. "And I'm not your nee-chan. I am your nii-chan, Kono-kun," Naruto said. The boy stared at him.

"Whatever you say Boss," the boy stated disbelieving. "Because I've seen a lot of girls uglier than you are."

"Yes well," Naruto cleared his throat, "I am male. I do know how to pretend to be a girl since it is part of my training, so maybe that's why you are confused."

"So you're a tranny?" Was Konohamaru's conclusive question.

The Honorable Grandson got punched again.

* * *

Kakashi appeared in the training ground and nearly burst out laughing. One of his genin had a duckling of a sorts following after him. Since he was earlier than usual, ten minutes late instead of whole hours, he got to catch Kiba rolling on the ground laughing.

"Nee-chan?" Kiba choked out, "He calls you nee-chan?"

"Kiba you are acting disgraceful!" Naruto said with an embarrassed flush. "Get up and stop laughing!"

"Did you show him your Orioke no Jutsu?" The Inuzuka asked as he finally got a hold of himself.

"Orioke no Jutsu?" Konohamaru asked in curiosity. The blond actually smacked himself in the face with a groan before kicking Kiba in a fit of childishness.

"Can you demonstrate?" Kakashi asked startling all of them except Shino who'd seen him and given him his usual welcoming head nod. The blue eyes widened beneath his bandana and turned pleading.

The jounin ignored it.

"It's not dangerous right, Naruto?" Kakashi prompted. The blond sighed but accepted for the fact he'd likely be called nee-chan by his little brother figure for the rest of his life.

"No, it's not, but make sure to remember I was still born male. Even after I do this technique, got it?" He snapped sternly. Rolling his eyes, he turned and taunted Kiba, "Do try not to drool, puppy dog."

"Hey!" Kiba protested and Naruto merely tossed his head slightly before going through the different seals quickly.

"Orioke no Jutsu!" A cloud of pink smoke enveloped Naruto and after it disappeared in its place was a charming girl.

"Transformation complete," the girl said brushing her tangle of golden hair out of her face. She looked like an older Naruto, but with a fully, and generously, developed body, hair down, and no whiskers. Kakashi instantly used kai to dispel it and arched an eyebrow in surprise. There was no change and Naruto coyly, in character, slapped his shoulder at the action.

"It's solid?" He asked gesturing for one of 'her' hands. Naruto rolled 'her' eyes and nodded, giving it to him.

"WOW!" Konohamaru said, jaw dropping open, "Is this like, a super Henge, nee-chan?" Naruto let out another sigh before glowering at Kiba who was too busy trying not to see his teammate as a sex object. The body was covered in a flimsy looking baby-doll dress of green that ended at mid-thigh with matching silver heels that made the already tan and incredibly long legs even more attractive.

"Yes, in a manner, Kono-kun," Naruto replied. Kakashi kept prodding and testing it, though Naruto slapped his hands away from his more personal and private areas with a glare. The man didn't try it again when he heard the angry hum of kikaichu and met the gaze of a displeased Shino.

"Can you teach me?" The ten year old asked.

"I'll think about it." Was the response.

"Please?" Started the begging, which continued for the next several minutes between the two. Kiba, wisely for once, refrained from saying the two reminded him of he and his sister when he was younger. The blond finally got fed up with it and made his ultimatum.

"If you can successfully do a Henge, a Clone jutsu, and a Substitution jutsu to my approval, I'll agree to actually consider it. Until then you're on chakra control exercises." He said in a final manner. The boy pouted but gave in. "Go find a leaf and practice! Better yet, why don't you review the different traps I showed you? Fetch your supplies I'll let you test the things you learned the other day on Kiba-kun." He said ignoring his teammate's indignant cry of what. The boy brightened and ran off to get his tools. The Hokage, after seeing his lessons in traps, had given him some of his own supplies and a bit of money to buy more, which meant Naruto had taken him shopping for even more building materials before coming to the training field.

"I'll be back quickly, nee-chan!" He shouted as he disappeared in a cloud of dust. Naruto groaned at the name.

"Your minion is quite exuberant," Shino said and Kiba started laughing again while Kakashi couldn't help but smile. The blond just smacked himself in the face in exasperation dragging his hand over his face tiredly before glaring at them. Akamaru jumped into his arms and he pouted around the dog.

"You three," he said with great maturity, "just suck."

* * *

Team Eight and Team Ten showed up around the same time at Training Field 7 and started butting heads. Or well, Ino and Sakura started butting heads.

"Nice hair, Forehead!" Ino snarled as she took in the newly shortened hair. While still long, she was now required to have it pinned up, thus makin it look more like her old bob in the back. "Decided you needed a new look? Because you need a new face!"

"I'm not ugly in the least, if anyone could use a new face, as well as a new personality, it would be you, Ino-pig!" Sakura snapped back, their heads coming together and pressing hard in a series of small shoves via their foreheads. Their long suffering teammates merely ignored them and joined Team Seven who paused in their chakra control training. The three jounin were currently meeting up by the gate a little ways away from the fighting girls discussing something and couldn't be bothered to break it up, so they all ignored them.

"Hello," Naruto said as he jumped off of the stick he was forced to balance on. The staff stayed planted until he touched it again and unstuck it from the ground, several pieces splintering off into smaller shapes and sticks and were promptly sealed away. The leaf he'd stuck to his head fluttered to the ground, as did the ones one his arms, torso and legs.

"Cha-chakra control exercises?" Hinata asked recognizing it as one of the more advanced and combined ones. She smiled and waved slightly at Shino when he joined them.

"Yes, good eye Hinata-chan," Naruto complimented with a smile. "We're glad you could make it." He said politely giving them a short bow in greeting before cocking a confused brow at the two girls cat-fighting. "Your teammates, I assume?" He asked and the two pairs nodded tiredly. Both girls were louder than their quieter companions and it was quite taxing to be around them usually, but combined it was exhausting.

"My sympathies," he said to them. Shino nodded in agreement at his words.

"It could be worse," Shikamaru said as he hunched next to Chōji.

"Yeah," the Akimichi said, "We could be on a team with both of them," Sasuke visibly shuddered.

"Yeah, well," Kiba said coming over as he wiped the sweat from his brow and catching part of the discussion, "no crazy kunoichi on Team Seven, just someone who can—urk!" The four blinked in surprise as the dog user curled over the sudden elbow to the gut he'd gotten from the usually gentle and quiet Uzumaki. All of them stared at the sweet look on his face and sweat dropped. The usually mild tempered blond looked fit to kill.

"You have dug your grave once today," the boy said mildly, "do not start filling it in. Or I will make you Kono-kun's practice partner in every SING variation and the lead runner in each trap-tag game until he makes chunin, better yet jounin, Kiba-kun." Kiba paled and nodded, the past few hours serving as Konohamaru's training partner had been exhausting and he'd been overjoyed when the boy left to go home for the day, he did not want to be stuck doing that again indefinitely. Kakashi-sensei had made it even worse by having Naruto do a number of 'demonstrations' for Konohamaru, telling the blond to leave his traps up and making Kiba's already difficult runs more troublesome.

The group however, looked slightly confused.

"Sing?" Sasuke asked. Hinata piped up at this, knowing what he was talking about.

"I-it's a defense combo civilian girls learn against perverts and attempted rapists," Hinata explained. "It's an ac-acronym that stands for stomach, i-instep, nose and gr-groin; the series in which you should hit the person when they grab you from behind," Hinata said. "Most kunoichi don't bother learning it, but Naruto-kun and I took a class back when we were ten."

"Why would you take that?" Chōji asked curiously as he worked through his chip bag. He offered it to Naruto who took a chip in thanks and nibbled on it before answering. It was a surprisingly cute gesture but they all wondered how he ate through the mask.

"I may have to play the role of a civilian female on a mission," Naruto illuminated, "so it would be a good idea how to act like one and defend myself like one." Shikamaru nodded slightly in understanding though he was too lazy to comment. "I believe Hinata-chan took it because it would be a fun outing we could both enjoy."

"I-it was good stress relief," she agreed. Naruto and they shared a smile and the rest of the boys got a rather girly feeling from it. It was much different than the rather bitchy fight going on behind them between Sakura and Ino. To be honest, the male genin (except Naruto) didn't understand why the other girls couldn't _be_ like Naruto and Hinata; calm, helpful, able cooks, and reliable ninja.

'Fan girls sucked.' The boys thought collectively.

"We'll have to go shopping together again soon," Naruto suggested.

"An' ya wonder why Konohamaru calls ya nee-chan. Yowch!" Kiba muttered and earned a sharp heel jab from Naruto. The boy hopped for a second on one foot nursing the bruised appendage while glaring at the blond, earning himself an amused smirk that had just begun baring teeth in a rather dangerous manner.

"Ah, sensei," Shino said, secretly in relief when he noticed the jounin-instructors approach. He'd seen the glint in his best friend's eyes and knew that the talk was spiraling down into madness. "Are we going to get an explanation now?" He asked and the jounin nodded as he formed up with his two colleagues.

"Yes," Kakashi said, "Well, we decided to let you get some experience fighting with members not on your team."

"So sparring?" Ino asked as she and Sakura joined them. "Can we sit it out?" Shikamaru looked up in interest at that question.

"No, anyone not sparring will be running laps," Asuma said. Shikamaru drooped.

"Che," he muttered, "troublesome."

"It would be more troublesome if you collapsed in the middle of a mission, Shikamaru-san," Naruto said, "especially on one where you could end up killed. Or worse yet, a teammate, you'd hate to have Chōji's death on your conscious, right?" The Nara heir straightened at that and glowered darkly to the side.

"Exactly," Kurenai said with a slight and approving smile at Naruto while Asuma made a note to use that excuse to get his boys going since both took their best friend's safety quite seriously. "These matches will not be strictly taijutsu, so you may use any shinobi art you have. Do refrain from seriously injuring anyone though." The genin nodded.

"How will we be pairing up?" Sakura asked, eyeing the others warily.

"We will be picking your opponent," Kakashi said with a smile as he bent forward, "and we'll only announce it at the start of the match so be prepared. You could be fighting anyone who is not on your team." The genin sized one another up, only Ino and Sakura looking scared about it. Both Chōji and Shikamaru looked reluctant.

"How many times will we be fighting?" Naruto asked and Shikamaru focused once more.

"Until you pass out," the three jounin said with a cheerfulness that made the genin shiver in dread.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru growled. "So troublesome."

* * *

Sasuke studied Uzumaki and Aburame closely as they waited for their turn and chatted with Hinata as their teammate fought Chōji. There were loud crashes and curses from the two, but it was a respectful fight at least. Sakura was currently arguing with Ino over something while Shikamaru appeared to be napping in the shade of a tree.

"Who do you think you will be paired up with, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked from the other side of her Sasuke positioned on her left.

"M-maybe Ino or...um, I don't know?" She said thinking it over. Sasuke thought it was likely as well, especially since any fight between Ino and Sakura was sure to become a brawl instead of a learning experience.

"It is probable," Shino agreed, "I personally wonder who I shall be fighting."

"You might go against Shikamaru. You are both distance specialists and strategists." Naruto said. "Maybe Sakura. I feel that the only fight she's getting today will be to learn brains are nice indoors but you need a body to complete the mission completely." Sasuke agreed with that as well. The pinkette seemed determined to be as useless as possible. Hinata, however, picked up on who the last unmatched pair in the group's estimate was.

"S-so you'll be g-going against Sasuke-kun, Naruto-kun?" Hinata probed. Sasuke tuned in on this and the two boys met each other's gaze in an assessing manner.

"We both need someone who has a wide variety of attack types." Naruto reasoned out. "Also, our taijutsu is fairly similar as well, since we go for speed and precision." Sasuke nodded at that, knowing his fighting style had been summed up correctly. He wouldn't mind fighting him either. Uzumaki had always been a decent sparring partner during school, though it had been clear he had been holding back.

"D-do you agree Sasuke-kun?" Hinata asked him and he realized he'd always been included in the discussion.

"Hn. It's likely." He replied with a grunt. They heard Kiba shout in victory as Chōji collapsed in a tired pile on the ground with a grunt. Akamaru landed on the boy's chest as Kiba pinned his legs. The fight was declared over and Kiba got up with a lively jump as Chōji sat up tiredly.

"Yes! You did good, Akamaru!" The boy said lifting his dog up into the air excitedly, Akamaru having served as an excellent distraction and guide for his partner during the fight, guiding Kiba during his attacks and defenses.

"You'll do better next time, Chōji," Asuma told his genin, "he just has more stamina and slightly better chakra control. Both things can be easily fixed." The dirty blond nodded, a bit discouraged before getting to his feet. Kiba grinned at him.

"Nice fight man!" Kiba said bouncing over, "You're pretty strong. Is that 'cause of your clan's jutsu?" Chōji blinked in surprise before nodding awkwardly. Shikamaru cracked an eye open and watched the two interact before shutting it again with a slight smile. It would be good if Chōji got more people who believed in him.

"Next up, Sasuke-kun and Uzumaki-kun," Kurenai called out and the two exchanged a glance before going over.

"I want a good fight," Naruto said with a smile. "So I won't be holding back." Sasuke felt a small bundle of warmth enter his stomach and the adrenaline start pumping through his blood.

"You better not, dobe," he replied. "You'll lose if you do." Naruto's smirk was apparent through his mask.

"Let's see how well you do, Rookie of the Year." He replied brushing some lint of his shoulders.

Sometimes boys can only talk to each other through their fists.

* * *

A/N:

R&R

Terms & Definitions:

1) Orioke no Jutsu: Naruto's infamous "Sexy Jutsu" that lets the user transform into a solid image, mostly sexy females.

If I missed anything, let me know and I'll add it in!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N:

Reviewer:

Themysteryofjade: Ah, you're asking about Torune? If you look up different ROOT members Torune was an Aburame who held a rare type of kikaichu that were nano-sized and venomous. When Danzo approached Shino to take him into ROOT, Torune, who'd been taken into Shino's family after his father died and he was orphaned, stepped forward and distracted Danzo away from Shino and ended up going in Shino's place. All children inducted into ROOT were children that went missing, kidnapped, or purloined into the military.

KaitlynUzumaki: I can only give you a mysterious smile and head tilt. Take that as you will.

Words: 10,000~

* * *

**Jorōgumo**

* * *

Chapter 4:

Enter! Uzumaki Naruto, Goals, and a C-Rank?!

I'll always fight my hardest and protect my precious people!

* * *

Naruto was pleased to be fighting Uchiha. He was a strong opponent and he could go all out unlike with some of his classmates. Taking his stance he instantly switched between kakute so he would have a mix of ones he laced with a mild sedative as well as those suited for intricate wirework. Uchiha took a position opposite him, hands loose and prepared to form seals the second the fight was started.

Watching them for a moment, Kurenai raised her hand and then slashed it down, "Hajime!" She barked and the two exploded into motion. Naruto sent a series of punches at the other who dodged, his eyes catching sight of the pointed ends on the rings and kicked out to earn some room. They separated, Naruto landing on the side of a tree to Sasuke's surprise as the other slid back on the loose soil, a cloud of dirt and dust hiding both from the other's view. This was something Naruto used to his advantage, his mind pulling out a strategy that made him grin. He quickly set up the groundwork before moving onto the next step. The bandana wearing boy crouched down before bursting forward his hands quickly throwing out a series of bo-shuriken and senbon. Sasuke dodged them, letting them strike the ground around in a seemingly random pattern. Ducking forward, he rushed ahead and quickly went through a few of his seals. Taking a deep breath he blew out forming a giant fireball that blasted towards Naruto.

Gaze narrowing Naruto went through a series of seals and quickly escaped using the substitution jutsu. He landed in place of a twig to Sasuke's left and charged from there, kunai coming out and moving in a series of sharp attacks and slashes. Drawing his own weapon, Sasuke met the blade in a flash and then dodged a series of punches with a curse. Unfortunately he felt the stinging prick of the kakute hitting and the sedative entering his system. Disengaging he leapt free, further into Naruto's starting zone as Naruto took his place on the outside. The blond smirked and made a sudden grabbing motion, yanking and twisting it while using all his strength and dexterity as he sprung his trap. Suddenly there were threads wrapping around the last Uchiha, trapping his arms against his sides.

"Damn!" Sasuke grunted as Naruto pinned him. He glanced grudgingly at the blond as he twisted the threads once more to make sure his prey couldn't undo them. Naruto then ran forward executing a quick genjutsu that caused the boy's eyes to glaze before succumbing to the sedative.

"Match! Uzumaki!" Kurenai called out with a surprised smile. Shikamaru watched with a slight grin as the smallest boy in the group used tactics and strategy to maneuver the slightly faster opponent into a hidden web. The blonde's jounin sensei crouched next to him as Naruto started working on undoing the trap.

"What did you use to capture him?" Kakashi asked, "I didn't see you laying down any of the regular wire." Naruto smiled up at him as he freed his opponent and treated him for the sedatives, hands shining a faint green as he also treated a rather nasty cut from where Naruto's kunai had successfully struck.

"It's a specialty thread used by trap makers that is nearly invisible to the eye. It comes from specially produced spider silk before being soaked in a solution to make it nigh indestructible. It's naturally yellow as you can see, almost golden in coloring," he showed it to the man who took it carefully, "in full sunlight it is indistinguishable and in foliage appears like a beam of sunlight or not at all, fully camouflaged. The spiders they use," Naruto smirked at this, "are called—"

"Jorōgumo," Kakashi said wryly.

"I was going to say Golden Orb Web spiders, but that is correct as well." Naruto said with surprising cheek. Sasuke groaned and slowly awakened. He scrunched his face at the shorter boy and sat up with some help.

"The sedative is short acting, but it will take about an hour to fully leave your system," Naruto said, "luckily it was not the one mixed with any hallucinogen or truth serum, so you should be fine after you get something to eat and drink plenty of water."

"Hn," Sasuke said and Naruto helped him up fully.

"N-Naruto-kun wo-would it be okay if he ate something f-from your packed lunch?" Hinata asked knowing her friend well. Naruto was always happy to feed someone. It was probably due to having gone without when he was much younger before entering the Aburames' lives.

"Oh, of course," Naruto said, "let me go grab it and I will fix you a plate." Naruto settled him next to his female teammate and went to get the leftovers. Naruto, since joining Team Seven, had taken to creating large training lunches while making sure to make enough so there were plenty of leftovers for an afternoon snack.

"We eatin' finally?" Kiba asked eyeing the large bento when Naruto returned. Chōji glanced at it curiously.

"Hush you," Naruto said, "you act as if you only eat when I feed you."

"It's good food, Naruto-chan," Kiba bantered.

"Chan?" Naruto asked dryly. Kiba caught the eyeing look and scrambled to cover his 'slip.'

"It jus'…Came out?" Kiba replied weakly. "Please don't kill me." Naruto rolled his eyes and spread the blanket out before laying out the extra plates and opening up the lunch boxes.

"Wow," Chōji said seeing how many different items there were. "You made all this Naruto-san?" he asked.

"Yes, would you like some Chōji-san?" Naruto asked. "Don't worry about the amount. If we run out, I have some dried food and snacks sealed in one of my scrolls." He knelt on the blanket and picked up a plate.

"Sure," Chōji said salivating over the meal. Naruto dug out the serving spoon and chopsticks he used to dish out the dishes.

"Anything specific you would like, Uchiha-kun?" Naruto asked as he placed some rice and yakisoba into a rice bowl and on a plate.

"I like tomatoes," the boy replied taking a seat as Hinata assisted Naruto by pouring out drinks.

"Lemonade?" She asked the maker of all the food. The liquid had a slight lemony scent to it and she poured each of them a glass.

"More like lemon flavored water," Naruto replied.

"It helps with digestion," Shino explained, accepting his own cup with a slight head nod. "Why, because the acidic nature of the citrus urges the stomach to start being productive."

"Ah," she said and handed it to Sasuke who drank it carefully. The soup was dished out and he started on that while Naruto added some stewed beef with tomatoes, salad, and fried vegetables to his plate.

"We ate up all the dessert already, sorry," Naruto said handing him the plate.

"That's fine," Sasuke said, "thanks for the food." Naruto nodded and glanced at Chōji when he asked him something about the food preparation of one of the dishes, answering freely and with a little pride. Sasuke ate the food cautiously, he didn't know how good of a cook Naruto actually was, thus he proved to be surprised when he found out how good it tasted.

"Kiba don't grab things with your hands from the communal serving dish!" Naruto scolded smacking the Inuzuka's fingers away from one of the meatbuns in the box, earning a pout. Naruto fixed two more plates, making sure Kiba got the meatbun he wanted, and handed them over to Chōji and his teammate before fixing a smaller one for Hinata and himself. Shino had decline and gotten up for his fight with Shikamaru. Neither Sakura nor Ino would eat anything since they were too busy arguing on the other side of the training field, so Naruto didn't bother offering.

"Thanks," Chōji said. "I need to eat often to fill up my chakra reserves."

"Because you convert them so fast," Naruto said poking the Akimichi's side, earning a surprised chuckle at the ticklish motion. "Your clan's specialty is in the storage of them for later use, right?"

"Yes," Akimichi said. "You can tell that?"

"People would call what you have fat, however," Naruto explained, steamrolling past Chōji's 'trigger' word, "What you snack on are things I see higher level shinobi eating after taxing missions. Plus," Naruto took Chōji's wrist and pressed down on the bones there. "You have a denser bone structure which is clearly passed down from you parents. So your weight gain is purposeful. Not because you merely refuse to exercise or eat to an excess. I've seen the effort you put into staying fast even with your weight." Chōji's face brightened at the knowledgeable conclusion the shorter boy made, as well as blushing humblely. The rest of the group listened in curiosity. Many had wondered why Chōji ate like he did so this description served them well. Naruto however continued on between bites.

"I've seen some of your family train as well. If I remember correctly your style is built on overpowering and crushing your opponents, similar to Kiba's who is based on running down and overwhelming them. I've seen sumo wrestlers built along the same lines as you, and it is all muscle in your arms, upper legs and calves." Chōji grinned and smiled even more when Naruto refilled his empty plate. He noticed that the boy didn't bother with any salad and filled it with meat and carbohydrates while the others, except for Kiba, got a more balanced plate.

"Which style would you say is stronger?" Kiba asked in curiosity handing his plate over to be refilled getting another meatbun and some ribs.

"Neither," Naruto answered.

"Eh, why?" Kiba pouted.

"I-if you were going merely based on strength, Ak-Akimichi-san would win," Hinata piped up, clearly more relaxed in the company of Naruto and Sasuke. Enough so she could speak outside of her usual stutters. "In pinning and pursuit, Inuzuka-san would take it. However…" She glanced at Naruto as her voice petered out, who nodded and took up the explanation.

"In the shinobi world there are different jobs and positions. Due to your different fighting styles and clans, however, it isn't likely that you two would be in the same position, the same squad maybe, but definitely not the same position. Kiba-kun would be a forward tracker and Chōji-san would most likely be a defender or safety member in charge of protecting the medic or keeping the captured shinobi under control." Naruto finished.

"Neither style," Naruto stated, "is stronger. It purely depends on the person and even  
then I am sure you two have different goals and skills that would make a comparison unfortunate for either of you. It would be better not to put yourself up against an unfair meter stick at all. Chōji-san is Chōji-san and Kiba-kun is Kiba-kun." Both boys nodded at that and Kiba scratched his cheek thoughtfully.

"What about my sister and me?" Kiba asked. "Hana's pretty scary to be honest and got a buttload of more skills than me." Naruto refilled his cup of water and sipped it for a second. He didn't notice Sasuke zeroing in on the discussion, reminded of Itachi, however, Naruto did know that Hinata would be listening to this and worded it carefully.

"I do not have a sibling, truly," Naruto said, "However I do have Shino and, more recently, Kono-kun and a few of the younger Aburames in the clan, though there aren't many. However, I would never limit myself to their experiences and successes. What they accomplished and have done perfectly or not, is within their own circumstances. If I compared myself to Shino I would have to take into account that he has been training and holding onto his kikaichu since birth, which means he has been training longer than I. Does that make him stronger than me? Perhaps. However, that does not mean I cannot match him or surpass him built on my own worth. Furthermore, I cannot judge myself against Kono-kun since as an older sibling it is my duty to teach him everything I myself have learned, including tricks and skills I myself picked up while learning before him. Will he one day match me? It is my hope, otherwise I have wasted both our time. Will I let him surpass me on skills I've given him? No, I will do my hardest to be the superior in everything until one day he can surpass me on his own regards and talents." He sighed, "It is often a thankless job have no doubt." Kiba nodded remembering the argument that had broken out between them earlier when Naruto had forcibly corrected the boy on a minor way of doing things and Konohamaru had thrown a tantrum. It had clearly exasperated the blond, however he'd patiently let it run its course before demonstrating _why_ setting the trap up like Konohamaru almost did was dangerous, even letting himself earn a sharp cut across his forearm. The brunet had been immediately apologetic and worried over his 'Boss' though he quickly rebounded when Naruto ruffled his hair and called him a cute little minion.

"In the end however," Naruto said with a fond and soft smile, "I love both of them as my sibling and would kill for them. I am fiercest when I am protecting. If I lost either I would not know what to do. I would probably go insane."

"So… I should learn stuff that I can and blow Hana out of the water thattaway?" Kiba surmised awkwardly. Naruto giggled.

"Kiba-kun, does your sister know any fuinjutsu?" He asked.

"Nah, she's got a bunch of medical and veterinary training though, heir stuff as well," Kiba answered crossing his arms behind his head without fear of upsetting his partner since Akamaru was napping inside his jacket against his stomach, the puppy ninken having worn himself out with the bout.

"Well then you have a skill she doesn't have," Naruto answered, "and she has skills you don't. Do you want to learn all of what she knows?"

"Not really," Kiba replied with a grimace, "you gotta have smaller chakra reserves and fine control and all that for medical stuff, plus the heir crap is dead boring. So much paperwork!" He complained. "I'm not even the heir and I gotta help out with that junk." Naruto giggled again.

"Not really a good idea to compare yourself then, hm?" Was his calm rejoinder.

"Yeah, you're right." Kiba answered. "Can I make fighting and beating her a goal? Y'know with the stuff we do share?"

"Of course," Naruto replied, "I always try to beat Shino when we are fighting using only taijutsu or during one of our joint self-study projects. In fact, I dangle catching more kinds of bugs in his face when we go on our catching excursions. It is quite funny to see him get in a huff and storm off to find a few more." A mischievous glint entered his eyes. "He never realizes to use his bug finding technique either, so it's all the more funny. It's the one Aburame technique I was allowed to learn since I was not a member of the clan. Of course, I use it to capture spiders so I guess it is alright."

"I knew you cheated," Shino said as he moved up and plopped down next to him. "Why? Because you got insects even I did not know about before." Naruto merely smirked at him his eyes laughing.

"You will remember to use that technique next time, ne?" Naruto replied earning a glare and grumble.

"Just fix me a plate, imouto," Shino said.

"I am not a girl!" Naruto protested.

"Whatever you say, Naru-chan," Kiba chuckled earning an out of character squawk of indignation.

"See if I fix you any of my beef ribs next time," Naruto pouted before his expression turned suspiciously blank, "I think I have Kono-kun's next assignment picked out." Kiba paled. Naruto however, fixed three plates of food and got up, "I should take these over to the sensei, Hinata-chan will you get the drinks?" The two got up and left, leaving a pale Kiba behind and the rest of the group, with the exception of Shino, snickering.

"Naru-chan? Oi, Naruto, wait. What do you mean next assignment? Naru-chan? Naruto, oi! Naruto!" Kiba called as he scrambled to his feet in a panic. "Naruto-sama!" The whole group cracked up at that.

"Kono-kun?" Shikamaru asked as he collapsed in a lazy pile next to Chōji and accepted a premade plate of food Naruto had set aside for him. It was filled with easy to eat food. He appreciated the thought and hummed, mostly silently, with pleasure as he lazily chewed a bit of his onigiri. He was pleased to find smoked fish mixed inside. It had fish and seaweed, things were right in the world when he had a reasonably short fight and his favorite foods with time to cloud watch. He even got a show with lunch, watching in amusement as the other two members of Team Seven fell into trouble with their 'better' half.

"Naruto's minion," Shino said with slight apprehension. His best friend hadn't said anything about himself, so that most likely meant he'd take care of Shino himself. The bug user shivered a bit. "I wonder what sort of apology and bribe I shall need to get back on his good side." He thought out loud. Seeing Kiba's loud begging, the rest of the group figured it would have to be a good one.

* * *

Sasuke turned over what Naruto said during their food break. His brother had always been amazing; however, he'd also been so cold and secretive. Was that because their experiences were different? He'd been born during the very end of the war and seen the Kyuubi attack the village, had that warped him? Or perhaps graduating early and killing so much when he advanced so fast? His father had always said he made the perfect Uchiha, a weapon that was fast and sharp. But had his brother been _happy_ like that? He had always assumed he had, he'd been so admired and talked about by his clan and outsiders.

Now he wondered.

He also thought about his own position and thought in life. Sure he was the Rookie of the Year, something Naruto had ground into the dirt in their first ever real fight, but his brother had graduated at five before moving onto chunin at eight and becoming an ANBU member and finally a captain by the age of thirteen. He'd gone insane roughly a year later. The months leading up to it had been tense, his family taking on a dark thinking air while Itachi had slowly retreated from them all. The only person he'd been close to within his immediate family had been…

A light went on in Sasuke's head. 'He had only been close to me, and he only spared me,' he thought sinking onto his bed tiredly; the pacing had been wearying with all of the spars he'd done earlier. Fighting Naruto, Shino, and Kiba had been a work out, each one different and each one tough.

'My brother killed everyone he was ever close to,' Sasuke wondered, 'except the person he probably cared for most. And that's me. He even killed the younger children and babies, the old folk as well… But never me. He told me to get strong and fight him.' He buried his face in his hands and felt his mind swirl crazily, as it tried to understand. 'I don't get it, what the hell was he doing? That isn't the way you prove yourself strong, that's the way you kill a bunch of people! If you wanted to prove yourself strong, you fought strong people!'

Naruto's voice chimed in his head, '…I cannot judge myself against Kono-kun since as an older sibling it is my duty to teach him everything I myself have learned, including tricks and skills I have picked up while learning alone. Will he one day match me? It is my hope, otherwise I have wasted both our time. Will I let him surpass me on skills I've given him? No, I will do my hardest to be the superior in everything until one day he can surpass me on his own regards and talents. It will often be a thankless job, have no doubt.'

Feeling tears pool in his eyes, Sasuke whispered, "Nii-chan what the hell are you trying to teach me? What kind of talents do you think I have that you don't? What are you doing Nii-chan? Where are you?! Am I… Am I wasting both of our times?"

* * *

Sasuke looked like hell the next few weeks since he wasn't sleeping properly and pacing back and forth. The trios of rookie genin were meeting every Friday for spars and team building activities. Ino and Sakura had their arguments and fights while the rest of the group spent the time actually working on building up their skills.

They also noticed Sasuke wasn't looking well which worried them.

"You're going to hit him with a stronger sedative this time, right?" Shikamaru said taking in Naruto's worried and narrowed eyes. The bandana wearing boy gave the slightest of head nods and the shadow user rolled onto his back in relief.

"He should be out for an hour this way," Naruto whispered softly, "it will not do much in the space of a week, but it will hopefully keep him from fully collapsing. A little sleep and food that is home-cooked should help." Naruto and Hinata both had started packing massive lunches for the group of rookie genin, spending some of their mission earnings that away. The rest of the teams chipped in of course, although they refused to allow either Ino or Sakura to cook since both pretty much burned water. Both girls' constant bickering was a source of consternation and irritation to their fellows as well.

Naruto saw Kurenai-sensei motioning him over and he got up leaving his extra supplies behind. The kakute he was wearing this time, along with the threads and wire, were covered in a sedative that would make Sasuke fall into a deep, but short, healing sleep. Taking his stance Naruto studied his friend worriedly. Over the last month and a half the boy had grown more and more visibly gaunt. Nothing seemed to help and Naruto had resorted to sporadic visits to the other male's apartment to make sure he was eating, bringing food over at least three times a week. He would then sit there and stare at the last Uchiha until he ate it all, be it in one sitting or several, or mildly lacing it with a sedative that would make the weary boy nap for at least an hour.

Naruto wasn't sure if the boy ever slept outside those times by the looks of things.

The fight went swiftly, Naruto not bothering to set up his webs or traps and went straight for the 'kill,' something his jounin sensei and Sasuke's were thankful for. He'd cleared it with both before he brought the heavier sleeping agent, and had been thanked by Kurenai for doing so. The tired boy barely withstood the fast barrage and collapsed into Naruto's arms as he fell into a dreamless sleep. Naruto frowned slightly, and shifted him immediately into a fireman carry and brought him carefully over to where the others were waiting with the packed lunches, picnic blanket, and items.

"Shino get the other blankets out please," He said and his best friend swiftly opened his sealed scroll popping out the spares he'd brought. Hinata took them and laid them out before accepting another bundled one from Shino and placing it like a pillow at the top. With some help from Chōji, Naruto laid the boy out and covered him. A swift check of his pulse and a peek under his eyelids, Naruto made sure the boy was truly out and sat back with a sigh of relief.

"He went down pretty quickly," Kiba said gnawing on his lower lip, "he okay?"

"Yes," Naruto sighed, "just exhausted." Ino and Sakura fretted from a distance, arguing and fighting before earning a sharp glare from all those around Sasuke. Both girls had been forcibly warned off from trying anything when their object of affection was put to sleep by Naruto the first two times. The fact that they even tried to get close to him while he was indisposed, disgusted most of the boys while both Hinata and Naruto had been infuriated. The matches between Naruto and Hinata since then, with both girls, had been bloody. With Naruto going so far as the draw his kunai immediately and trap both girls at separate times in sharp painful serrated wire before spitting in disgust at them, an obvious and crude sign from the normally overly polite male, that proved just how distasteful he found them both to be.

Hinata, on the other hand, had just beaten them into a pulp after closing off most of their tenketsu in the most painful manner possible.

Even more so, in the past two weeks all of Team Seven and Team Ten, along with Hinata, had formed a protective wall against Sakura and Ino for Sasuke. Both girls, however, seemed to find it offensive which led to fights and bouts between all of those affected that did not seem to pound a relatively simple fact into either fangirl's head.

Leave Uchiha Sasuke alone.

Simple, yes, but ignored by both of the future 'Mrs. Uchiha Sasuke' wannabees.

"Time for lunch?" Chōji asked as he tried to prevent a fight from breaking out between Naruto, Hinata and one of the other girls. Hinata nodded, though she watched sharply as she fetched it. Naruto stayed where he was and kept watch over the pale boy.

"What did you fix this time, Naru?" Kiba asked as he sat down. The sensei rarely ate with them, having decided to go out for their lunches instead of eating the prepared ones. They used this time as a break for the teams so they could socialize without worry of adults overhearing things.

"I did the main dishes this time, since you guys liked Hinata-chan's sides better last time," Naruto replied as he opened the first of four large family style bento boxes.

"Wah," Chōji said with his mouth opening. "You made sure to fix a lot of tomato dishes this time, huh?"

"Better to make sure Sasuke-san eats," Naruto answered. "We have chicken in tomato curry sauce, mixed tempura heavy on everything, stuffed peppers and tomatoes, beef with stewed vegetables with extra stewed tomatoes on the side, pork and chicken tonkatsu, garlic chicken, sesame chicken, smoked fish, fried calamari, grilled tofu in teriyaki sauce, and tofu cooked in soy sauce with ginger, lemon, and bunching onion." Chōji salivated and even Shikamaru whistled in appreciation as each level was revealed. "Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked. She nodded and started opening her own up.

"F-for sides today we have steamed and fried rice with egg and v-vegetables, tamogoyaki, steamed and fried dumplings of both the vegetable and meat kind, meatbuns, egg custards, cool and spicy pickles, vegetable and chicken sushi, yakisoba with chicken and vegetables, mixed onigiri, miso soup, hot and sour soup, soup with beef and shrimp balls, finger sandwiches, mini octopus-shaped sausages, salad with ginger sauce, salad with honey mustard sauce, and fried sweet and salty potatoes." Chōji cried from joy.

"We collaborated on the dessert," Naruto said as he retrieved the thermoses of tea and soup. Bottles of water and juice kept cold were pulled out as well. The second to last box was opened and the boys stared in amazement. "We did a cookie assortment with a mix of small cakes, sweet breads, and some saltier snacks. We also made some treats," Naruto patted the extra container, "for later."

"I love you," Chōji said in a daze, his chips dropping and his hands clutching one of each of Naruto's and Hinata's in a fierce and desperate grip. "Please marry me." Naruto and Hinata both blushed.

"G-gomen, Chōji-san," Naruto said gently retrieving his hand, "But I do not think either Hinata-chan or I are your type. We can give your future wife cooking lessons when you get engaged." The boy brightened and tears leaked out of his eyes.

"Promise?" He begged. The two chefs exchanged a glance and nodded.

"Promise."

* * *

Sasuke woke up to the sound of fighting and was disorientated for a moment. He smelled food next and his stomach growled loudly to his embarrassment. He'd eaten all of the leftovers from the last time Naruto had visited and hadn't had anything to eat this morning or the previous night.

"Sleep well?" A soft and familiar voice asked and he glanced up at Naruto who'd pulled down his mask for once and was looking him over worriedly. Hinata was sitting next to him and looked just as anxious. She turned away; going back to the food they had lain out near him and began fixing a plate for him.

"It was okay," Sasuke replied sitting up slowly and didn't begrudge the help he got from Naruto as he finally got in an upright position. "It was better sleep than I've gotten all week."

"I'm worried about you," Naruto said, finally voicing the whole group's concerns. "We're worried about you." Sasuke nodded tiredly, remembering the strained smiles and sneaking glances he'd gotten in the past weeks from them all. He also thought of the angry fights that had happened between Naruto, Hinata, Ino and Sakura, the first two protecting him when he was less aware. Even the other boys had taken him up, tucking him between Shino and Chōji for meals or Kiba walking him home since they happened to live in the same direction never mind it was twenty minutes out of his way. Shikamaru had once 'accidentally' captured the two girls in his shadow during 'practice' when they had rushed over to comfort him after a loss at the hands of the boy. It made him feel guilty and he couldn't meet the blue or lavender eyes of his friends.

"Sorry," he replied, "I've got a bunch of things on my mind. I keep forgetting to eat." He blamed his exhaustion on how honest he was being. Naruto frowned slightly but merely took the plate of food from Hinata's hand along with the chopsticks and put it in Sasuke's lap.

"Eat something and then we'll talk," Naruto said. Taking the bowl of soup from Hinata next and holding it in his hands as the boy started eating. His drowsiness slowly wore off and he grew more voracious as he ate.

"This is good," he said as he finished more than two-thirds of it and accepted the soup, scooping up the little meatballs and broth hungrily. The two cooks glanced at each other in relief. All of the food made had been done so it was easily digestible and gentle on the stomach. The slightly weakened boy had gotten none of the heavier or fried foods, instead cutting into the curry and stuffed tomato with relish. The tofu was placed on his plate as well since it was easy to swallow being naturally soft. The different spices would keep his stomach easy and fight off any illness that may approach. Pouring him a cup of slightly medicinal green tea with honey, Naruto handed it to the boy before taking the mostly empty plate and refilling it. The emptied soup bowl was offered to Hinata who refilled it as well.

"We're glad y-you're eating," Hinata said, "yo-you've gotten so thin." Sasuke flushed and hid his face slightly by moving more food into his mouth.

"I don't cook as well as you two," he admitted, the food he made was often bland and unappetizing. Naruto and Hinata glanced at each other in silent communication.

"You could come over to my place for dinner sometimes if you wish, Sasuke-san," Naruto offered. Sasuke glanced up in surprise.

"Don't you eat with the Aburames?" The other boy replied.

"Not always, merely on occasion," Naruto answered, "I live on their compound but have a house of my own. Since becoming a genin I have taken to cooking meals for merely myself and sometimes Shino. I would be glad to have your company or fix you a meal and have you come by and pick it up." He offered. Sasuke nodded slowly and ate some more of the food.

"I-I already make too much food for myself at lunch, so you could share mine if you want Sasuke-kun," Hinata said, "I'd be glad to eat with you."

"I don't want to be too much a bother," Sasuke said lowly, his chopsticks now playing with his food.

"A friend and comrade is never a bother," Shino said coming over. "My mother would be fine with you living with us forever, if it meant you were well." The boy flushed.

"Sacchi-obaa-san always wanted more children," Naruto said with a grin.

"Shut it," Sasuke said, comforted by the teasing. "I'll come by tonight." He said thrusting the plate at Naruto, "More please."

"Hai, hai," the blond said. "We have plenty." Smiling slightly at the three Sasuke couldn't help but be grateful.

* * *

Sasuke knocked on the door and it opened to a jacketless Shino.

"Hey," he said awkwardly. It was a bit weird to see the other boy without his large coat and dressed merely in a long sleeve mesh shirt over a sleeveless turtleneck muscle shirt with matching shorts. The small holes in his arms reminded the future Sharingan user that the kikaichu lived in him and he felt a shiver of morbid curiosity as he wondered if the bug user _felt_ the insects move around.

"Welcome, please come in," Shino said stepping back. Sasuke nodded and slipped his shoes off before stepping into the guest slippers waiting in a neat row, shutting the door behind him. The hallway was fairly short and they entered the living room almost immediately.

"Sorry about the door, Sasuke-san, Shino," Naruto said from another room. Sasuke glanced at Shino in question.

"Kitchen," he said in answer to the unspoken question.

"Ah," Sasuke said.

"Dinner will be soon, Shino go wash up," Naruto called out from the kitchen. "Please wait just another moment or two, Sasuke-san, I'll be finished soon!"

"No need to rush," Sasuke replied shifting nervously.

Shino nodded to the last Uchiha before he shuffled down the hall and Sasuke heard the sound of a faucet being turned on, surmising the other boy was washing his hands. Left alone he looked around and over the different shelves and pictures. There were a two floor to ceiling bookcases with a long one between them that stopped at his waist so the curtained window wasn't blocked. Plants rested atop it and a collection of books, scrolls, and knickknacks filled the empty spaces of the shelves. He looked the books over, a rather random collection of fiction and encyclopedias as well as training manuals, before wandering over to a wall where a small alter waited. There was no picture but the incense was clearly used and burned daily. Pausing, he offered a quiet prayer to his friend's family knowing he was an orphan as well. Two couches, a corner table and a coffee table on top of a soft rug finished the room. He heard Shino finish up in the bathroom and stopped to study a rather nice woodblock print, slightly embarrassed over the praying.

"Dinner!" Naruto called, and Shino reentered the room escorting the shorter boy into the kitchen where Naruto stood humming as he finished setting the table. He glanced up and smiled in welcome and Sasuke realized the other boy had removed his bandana and let his hair down though pulled back in a low ponytail. The long blond hair curled after being pinned for so long and the usual mask was discarded leaving the whisker marks bare. Dressed in a loose white shirt that had its long sleeves folded up to his elbows and in casual black pants he looked relaxed.

"Hey," Sasuke said taking a seat.

"Glad you could make it," Naruto replied and set down one of two bowls he carried. Shino gave his friend a friendly pat on the shoulder before sitting as well. Naruto carried over the last bowl, his own and took a seat. Picking up their chopsticks they said a quick, "Ittadakimasu," and dug in. They ate fish that was poached before being served in a mild sauce with pickles, steamed rice, fried and stewed tomatoes, a simple salad, and a winter melon soup. Dessert was a flaky and mild tasting group of almond cookies that were served with a side of whipped cream and fresh berries.

"Thank you for the meal," Sasuke said after his second helping. The food filled him easily and he knew he'd eaten the lion's portion of the tomatoes though neither of his meal partners complained.

"Would you like some more tea?" Naruto asked as he got up and started collecting the empty platters. He set them in the sink and took Shino's bowl for another serving of the soup. He came back and set it next to his friend before collecting both his own and Sasuke's plates.

"I'm fine," Sasuke said and Naruto nodded before removing it and started filling the sink with hot water to soak the dishes to make them easier to clean.

"I had some extra food for you take back when you leave," Naruto said as he finished filling the sink and returned with a refilled tea pot. Shino finished his soup and took his own dishes to the sink leaving his cup behind to be refilled. The dessert still sat out in the middle and Naruto picked up a cookie before covering it with a little whipped cream and a slice of strawberry before biting down.

"Thanks," Sasuke said. He was exceedingly grateful.

"Don't mention it," Naruto said waving off the gratitude. "Half the time I drag Shino over to eat with me since I despise cooking for myself alone."

"The other half my mother drags him over to our house and cooks with him there," Shino said. "Breakfast is always at mine though."

"Your mother wouldn't have it any other way," Naruto replied.

"You are correct in that." Shino conceded. A kikaichu fluttered in and Shino held up his finger to land one before listening to it and sighing.

"I have to go," he said apologetically, "one of the elders has stopped by and is demanding to speak with my father and his heir over some triviality." He stood and stated, "I will see you both tomorrow. Good night." They answered it with their own farewells and watched as he left. Naruto gestured with the teapot and Sasuke held out his cup accepting the fragrant tea before sipping it quietly with his dinner mate.

"What is it that has you so stressed out?" Naruto finally asked several minutes later. "Is there any way I can I help?"

"I was thinking about my brother." Sasuke said after a few moments.

"Your brother?"

"Yes, the night he murdered everyone and left… He spared me and told me to become stronger." Sasuke stated dully, fiddling with his cup. Naruto paused as he was about to sip, thinking quietly before frowning.

"Do you feel like you're becoming stronger?" Naruto finally questioned.

"I have no idea," Sasuke admitted tiredly, his eyes filled with pain and confusion. "I lost to you in a fight and…"

"Don't compare me to you, Sasuke-san," Naruto said sharply. "I'm not trained to be anything less than a killer and a trap artist, something you're not used to fighting against. If it had been straight taijutsu we would have been evenly matched. The only problem you had was that you didn't think far enough ahead to win. You are too focused on your long-term goal instead of your intermediate steps."

"Intermediate steps?" Sasuke repeated, curious. Naruto got up and fetched his bingo book, a gift from Shibi for his birthday last year. It wasn't the most recent version, but it would do in learning the larger threats. He opened it and went through the pages until he found who he was looking for. He handed the book to Sasuke and took his seat once more.

"That is your brother, yes?" Naruto said pointing at the old ninja photo on the top. Sasuke nodded stiffly as he stared at the familiar face. "All of that information," Naruto ran a finger down the side of the page, Sasuke's black eyes following it, "is what the bookmakers know he is capable of. This book is not the most recent I'll admit, however it does give a shinobi an idea of what one is faced with when they confront him." Sasuke nodded as he read about his brother. It was…impressive and disheartening to say the least.

"He is the mountain you wish to surmount, correct?" Naruto asked. Sasuke nodded dumbly once more. "Then here is the things you need to know how to defeat, to be stronger in or strong enough to fight against."

"To defeat? Stronger in?" Sasuke repeated. Genjutsu and ninjutsu appeared to be very high, and there were lists of known attacks and skills the older Uchiha had demonstrated. Everything an S-Class shinobi should and would know. Naruto touched his elbow kindly attracting his eyes and met them firmly.

"I don't know your reasons for fighting him, nor why he made your life so difficult," Naruto stated, "however, he was once a strong Leaf Shinobi and while here in Konoha you have many people who are willing and able to teach you. People who knew him formally and once served with him, people who knew him as a shinobi first and foremost. No doubt the village that raised him can help you defeat him."

"…will I be wasting our time?" Sasuke asked. Naruto recognized the earlier conversation and sighed. It appeared that it was partially his fault that the black haired boy's health was so rocky the past few weeks, even with his immediate mother-hen routine that had followed.

"I cannot tell you that," Naruto replied, "that is something you and your brother will have to discern."

"How will I be able to tell if I'm strong enough?" Sasuke asked. His gaze turned more than a little desperate at it met the unflinching and kind one of his fellow genin.

"When you feel confident enough to know the next time you face him it will be without fear and with pride in who you are," Naruto answered.

"How do you know?"

"It was what I asked my own teacher when she started teaching me. I wanted to know when people would recognize me for who I was rather than what they expected." Sasuke nodded and looked down at the book.

"I feel so angry towards him at times," he confessed, "I hate him so much!" Naruto nodded his hand tightening on the other boy's arm in silent compassion.

"I also love him and want him to acknowledge me," Sasuke whispered.

"That's what all good brothers feel I think," Naruto stated kindly, "but don't make him your life, Sasuke-san," Naruto sternly said, "you are worth much more than that." Sasuke nodded. Giving the boy's arm a pat Naruto glanced at the clock and frowned. It was late and he didn't think the boy was in any shape to go home.

"Why don't you stay the night," Naruto offered, "you can have breakfast with me in the morning, I'll just get the guest futon out." Sasuke jolted and glanced at the time as well before giving in. He was in no mood to trek halfway across the village to return to an empty apartment. Smiling at the blond he said, "That would be great, thank you."

* * *

Kiba was a bit surprised when he saw Shino, Naruto and Sasuke walking together the next morning, before separating to meet up with their respective teams. "What was up with that?" He asked when he and Akamaru met up with the duo. Sasuke looked much rested and was carrying a large package of food in his free hand, the boy talking easily with Naruto and Shino.

"Sasuke-san slept over last night after dinner," Naruto answered. "We got to talking until late and he was not up to leaving for the night." Kiba nodded.

"Whaddaya think we'll be doin' today? For missions?" Kiba asked. "We qualify for a C-rank now right? It's been two months and we've done what…Twenty missions?"

"If I remember right we've done sixteen in all," Shino responded. "Two a week for eight weeks correct?"

"Correct!" Their jounin sensei said appearing suddenly startling Akamaru and Shino's kikaichu. The beetles instantly covered the jounin and Shino had a hard time recalling them while Akamaru knocked the man over with a head-butt to the upper leg.

"Dumbass," Kiba remarked shaking his head as he gently brushed a few stray beetles off of their sensei, Akamaru having already recovered from the scare and was currently whimpering an apology next to him. Naruto merely sighed and fished out a ration bar which he handed to the older shinobi.

"Forgot you don't do startled well," Kakashi said sheepishly.

"Ninja in general don't do startled well, Hatake-sensei," Shino said miffed. His bugs joined him once more and he rolled his eyes at the man.

"Well, we need to head off to the tower and get our mission," Kakashi stated.

"Will we be doing our first C-rank today, Hatake-sensei?" Naruto asked.

"Do you want to do one?" Kakashi queried, studying all his little genin's faces.

"I guess so," Kiba replied, "It's the next step in being a shinobi right?" Naruto nodded at this and Shino merely glanced dismissively at him, holding a grudge.

"Well let's ask the Hokage and see just what he has and make a decision then. It would be good practice with training outside of the village and working a different type of mission." Kakashi admitted. After all, he was getting a bit bored with the never ending chores even if the team allowed him to read his book now while they worked. Akamaru could use the experience of working on different terrain for a long period and he could introduce his own summons that way. Maybe even fake a death around some enemies to see how they handled themselves without an immediate authority figure.

"I won't make any promises," Kakashi specified firmly. 'I might just beg for one though. Really, two months of Tora has started to grate on my nerves.' He thought darkly though.

* * *

"Ah, Team Seven," the Hokage said in way of greeting when they joined him, Team Eight was standing there as well. "Come for a mission? The Tora one recently came in and you're the best team at catching her, you even have the new catch time record of an hour and fifteen minutes!" The entire team looked at him blankly before the genin, as one, glared at their lazy sensei. He meanwhile blinked before twitching violently.

"Right… We'll have to decline that, Hokage, sir," Kakashi said, he (though most likely the cat) wouldn't survive another mission of finding it, his ninken would come out this time and Buru would 'accidentally' eat the little menace, "We were hoping to test our skill at a C-rank." Kurenai blinked in surprise and her own genin perked up in interest.

"A C-rank, eh?" The Hokage said rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "You have completed the requirements right?"

"We've done a total of sixteen missions and this is the start of our ninth week together as a team," Kakashi replied. The Hokage nodded.

"Isn't that a little dangerous?" Iruka asked worriedly. "You could be sent on a hazardous mission outside of the village."

"It is dangerous _in_ the village, Iruka-sensei," Naruto replied, desperate enough to be forward, of their sixteen missions nine of them had been the Tora catching one, no one on the team wanted to do it again, "Shino and I got pulled into that B-rank of yours remember? We can handle it, and sensei is an elite jounin!" The chunin visibly wilted but nodded.

"Ah, right, you two never got paid for that," the Sandaime remebered suddenly. "Well, come back to me after you finish your C-rank and we'll sort that out." The duo nodded.

"Sir, if Team Seven is undergoing their first C-rank, I would like to nominate my team for one as well," Kurenai stated, this would be a good test and way of introducing Sakura to the dirtier side of being a shinobi, their mission count of twelve would allow for it.

"I thought you were having problems with…" Sarutobi made a circling gesture with his hand. Kurenai nodded and they eyed the pink-haired genin who hunched slightly at the scrutiny.

"I'm sure my genin will act with all professionalism when we're with a client, right?" She gave Sakura a look.

"Right," the pink haired girl said weakly. The Inner Sakura stopped in mid-scream and huddled behind a mental barrier. After two months of 'reform' tutelage, Sakura had a better grasp on taijutsu and was learning some genjutsu that would work with her low reserves and fine control. She still wasn't as advanced as her teammates (she wasn't as motivated for one) but she wouldn't roll over and die like before. Which had to stand for something, right?

The Hokage ran a thoughtful hand over his chin before nodding.

"I've gotten a bit of a bad feeling over one of the missions and was going to send a team of chunin however two teams of genin with their instructors should serve as well." The Hokage said pulling out a mission scroll and holding it out to Kakashi who took it. "Team Seven, Team Eight, your mission is to serve as bodyguards for a one Tazuna the Builder on his return to Wave. Your mission specifics are in the roll while the client is outside. Please send him in." The Hokage addressed to the chunin closest to the door who immediately complied. A drunkard of a man came in a few moments later and eyed them in disinterest.

"Yer my body guards?" He snorted before taking another drink from his flask, "you don't look all that mature," his gaze landed on Sakura, "especially that flat one." The girl's mouth dropped open in outrage.

"I assure you," The Hokage interrupted as Kurenai's hand came down firmly on her genin's shoulder as an irritated tick developing on her face. "My shinobi are fully capable. However, if you're that doubtful I can give you back your deposit and let you return on your own." The man paled slightly at this and shook his head before hiding his scared frown behind another swig.

"I'll take 'em," he grunted. "Meet me at the main gate at seven tomorrow, we'll leave then. I ain't as fast as you little brats either so prepare to sleep outside a few nights. It's a month long mission." Naruto pinched Kiba's hand to keep him from responding and smiled professionally at them.

"Are you sure that's not too early for you sir?" Naruto asked, "We wouldn't want someone of your delicate sensibilities and age to be wearied by our travel if we can avoid it." An annoyed look crossed Tazuna's face.

"I can handle it, shortie," he replied. "If I complain or if I'm late for meeting you tomorrow, I'll pay extra. For each complaint too!"

"If you say so sir," Naruto said innocently. "We'll see you tomorrow, seven on the dot!" The man grunted and left.

"Extra money?" Shino said when the man was out of hearing distance.

"Easy money," Naruto stated. Their teammates stared at the duo as they smirked behind their face covers. "If we're going to put up with a nasty attitude, then we should be so sweet the man gets a tooth ache."

"You scare me sometimes," Kiba stated. "I'm still trying to figure out if that's a good thing or not."

Team Eight didn't even know what to say.

* * *

The two teams' genin, even Sakura, convened on Ichiraku's for lunch. "To our first C-rank," Naruto said with a smile before ordering his first bowl of miso ramen with pork filet.

"I wonder if we'll get to fight at all," Kiba pondered before placing an order of beef with two servings of beef ribs.

"If it goes as badly as all first C-ranks, it is possible," Shino ordered his vegetable ramen and gyoza.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked with a frown. He got a bowl of pork ramen with deep fried tomatoes on the side. He was making sure to eat more now that he and Naruto had last night's talk. Hinata sitting quietly next to him, ordered seafood ramen with a side order of fried calamari. Sakura gave in and got a shrimp tempura one with fish broth.

"C-ranks aren't that dangerous right?" Sakura asked. "How can they go wrong?" The group all stared at her.

"You do know about mid-mission reclassification right?" Naruto asked bluntly. Sakura shook her head. "Missions some times, due to client funding, ignorance, or unknown external factors, can move up or move down. The reason most seem to think there is a curse on the first C-rank is because of all mission levels, C-ranks are the ones with the most likelihood to _go_ up in rank."

"How do you know?" Sakura asked interest piqued.

"Research," Naruto stated. "After Shino and I heard about the curse we went to the mission release office and asked around. Iruka-sensei was there and explained it to us. C-ranks are the lowest rank anyone can ask for anything outside of Konoha, it is also the heading that most single and non-VIP persons apply for when asking for guards. However, that can lead to a misclassification. One should always operate on a guard mission with the idea that it can go wrong since anything can happen on a mission. C-ranks, and the First C-rank curse, are some of the first real signs to see if one is ready to be a chunin or not. It is usually these missions that tell a sensei if their genin are ready to take on harder training."

"So we do well and sensei may finally move us off of the damn chakra basics?" Kiba queried as he spoke around a mouthful of noodles. He was more hands on in his fighting style but he did want to learn some damn ninjutsu!

"Do not speak with your mouthful, but yes," Naruto answered. "C-ranks, as said by Iruka-sensei, test teamwork, individual leadership, and adaption to unforeseen circumstances. He said on his first C-rank, it was a delivery, he and his team faced a bridge collapse due to a nearby dam overflowing and a group of bandits, making it easily a B-rank mission due to length and difficulty. The only one worse than that was the one that made him switch from a field agent to an instructor at the Academy."

"How was it worse?" Kiba asked, the whole group staring at the suddenly quieter Naruto.

"Two of his teammates died and the third was permanently disabled. He said it went from C to S-class so fast that they weren't able to retreat quickly enough. Only he and his commanding officer got out intact." Shino stated. "He didn't want to be in the field anymore after that, so he took up a job as an instructor."

"Let's pray nothing like that happens on our trip," Naruto said quietly. "I don't know how I'd handle anyone dying on our mission."

"Hear, hear," Kiba said before glancing at the number of Naruto's bowls. "Hey! How are you on your fourth bowl already?!" Kiba wasn't even on his second.

"Talking makes me hungry," Naruto said mildly.

"How are you even eating with your mask on?!" Kiba demanded.

"I'm not sure if you'd be able to understand," Naruto remarked mildly. His teammate's mouth dropped open.

"Did you just call me dumb?"

"I'm sure Akamaru agrees with me, do you think he'd understand Akamaru?" Naruto asked. The dog yipped in what sounded like an agreement.

"Oi! Don't call me dumb!" Kiba protested. "You're supposed to be on my side Akamaru!" Naruto merely fed the dog a piece of his pork.

"Don't bribe, Akamaru!" Kiba snapped.

"Bribe? I'm just rewarding him for being so smart!" Naruto replied easily.

"Where's mine then?" Kiba protested.

"You haven't earned it yet."

"You just called me dumb again!" The rest of the genin laughed as Naruto ordered his fifth bowl, the dark air dissipating.

* * *

Naruto shrugged on his jacket before pulling on his shoes. He met Shino outside as he stepped out waving goodbye to his parents.

"Take care you two!" Sacchi called out. "Look out for each other!" Naruto offered a bow before the two jogged away.

"No backpack?" Shino asked adjusting his own.

"Sealing scrolls," his best friend replied.

"An acceptable idea," Shino admitted, mentally cursing his own thoughtlessness. He lived with and near two fuinjutsu user, why hadn't he thought to borrow some or even buy a few from them? 'Over excited nerves probably,' he thought miserably and made a note to ask for some when they got back. They met with Team Eight at the gate and exchanged greetings before moving away slightly to wait for their own final members. Moments later Kiba came jogging up Akamaru riding on his head as usual.

"Running late?" Naruto asked.

"Sorry about that, ma and Hana-nee had one last nag ta get in 'fore I left," Kiba said before looking at Naruto in confusion. "No backpack?" He adjusted his own.

"Sealing scrolls," Naruto replied for the second time that morning.

"Bastard," Kiba cursed before smacking himself in the face for his own thoughtlessness. "You're going to show me how ta do tha' next, right?" The last two months Kiba had taken to learning fuinjutsu from the more experienced Naruto. Eventually both of them would need a more advanced teacher but Kiba and Naruto were satisfied to learn from scrolls and books for now.

"Perhaps," Naruto shot back sweetly, "Have you gotten the explosives down yet?"

"I can everything up to a middle-grade," Kiba replied grumpily. Naruto hummed thinking it over.

"Get it up to high and I'll teach you. Making storage scrolls are trickier after all," Naruto responded.

"Great," Kiba said before glancing around. "Kakashi-sensei isn't here yet?"

"He's always late," his two teammates chorused.

"Right, right," Kiba said with a yawn. "Got anything to eat?" Naruto rolled his eyes and ignored him in favor of greeting and catching Akamaru as he leapt into the boy's arms. The dog still wore the gifted bandana but a vest of black had been added with the Inuzuka red triangular fang on the back, a suggestion to facilitate in hiding his white coat. The outfit was similar to the ones Kakashi's own ninken, who'd they'd met after the fourth Tora mission for advice, wore though it was in different colors.

"I've got a treat for you Akamaru," Naruto said fishing out a piece of dried pig's ear. The dog perked up and accepted it easily, quickly gnawing on it with relish.

"You like Akamaru better than me," Kiba said with a grumble.

"He's cuter," Naruto replied. Kiba's jaw dropped open and Team Eight stared in amazement at the brutal put down before having to hide their sudden onset of hysterics. Team Seven was always funny to listen to.

"So you do like him better?!" Kiba verbally protested. Hinata hid a giggle behind a hand and even Sasuke couldn't help but smirk. Sakura and Kurenai both had to look away to hide their suddenly pink faces as they pressed their lips together to keep their chuckles in.

"Oh hush," Naruto said, "you should be happy your partner is such a stud. Maybe Akamaru can give you some tips?" Akamaru yipped something and Kiba turned an embarrassed red.

"Bastard!" He yelled at the dog, who merely gave a doggy smirk.

"Hello team," Kakashi said appearing with a shushin. He glanced at Akamaru and smiled. "Hello Akamaru."

"My whole team likes Akamaru better than me!" Kiba growled. "How can they like you better than me?!" Akamaru merely gnawed on his pig ear and cuddled into Naruto happily.

"He's quieter," Shino stated.

"Shino!" Kiba said shocked.

"Here, Kiba," Naruto pulled out a packed breakfast. "For your stomach," the boy grinned and ripped into it excitedly. He shoved a bun into his mouth and groaned in satisfaction.

"This has meat!" He said excitedly and Naruto chuckled. "Yay for beef!"

"So, are you ready to go?" Kakashi asked Kurenai.

"Yes. The client isn't here yet though," Kurenai stated, her own team standing slightly off to the side and finally getting a hold of their selves to nod seriously back.

"Probably had to pick up extra sake," Sakura growled petulantly.

"I'm here," their client said as he hobbled up, drinking from a new bottle. Naruto pulled out a watch and nodded to Shino who made a note. "I got my sake and I'm good to go."

"Okay," Kakashi said knowing his genin were already adding up their 'tips.'

"Kurenai-san and her team will be in charge of protecting you while my team and I will take point and forward guard. Shino, Kiba, Akamaru? I need you to scout ahead. Naruto, will you be fine alone with taking point if I take rearguard?" The blond glanced at him and nodded. Kakashi nodded back and ordered briskly, "Let's go."

* * *

A/N

R&R


	5. Chapter 5

A/N:

So... I forgot it was Monday. I'm so so so sorry. Here's the next update. I'll see you in two weeks!

Reviewer:

gunslayer12: I honestly cannot tell you in a letter, you'll just have to find out in the chapters to come! I'm glad you're enjoying the humor; I try to time it well, because I got rather insane when it's non-stop fluff or fighting. A healthy medium is always needed!

Words: 9600~

Warnings/Disclaimer: Check Chapter 1!

* * *

Chapter 5:

Enter! Uzumaki Naruto, Fights, and Demons of the Mist?!

The Battle Goes to Me!

* * *

Naruto's gaze cut sharply across the woods and he frowned when he heard the angry buzz of kikaichu and the challenging bark followed by yelps from Akamaru. Naruto's hand went up and stopped the group. His hand flashed through some of the in battle hand signals and Kurenai nodded sharply withdrawing her team and the client back and signaling to Kakashi.

"What is it sensei?" Sakura asked in confusion as Kurenai motioned them into a protective position around Tazuna.

"Naruto and the forward scouts have come across something up ahead," she said lowly. The clearing exploded into action as two chunin level fighters forced the forward scout Team Seven members back towards their partners. Naruto charged forward into the melee, his bo-shuriken sped out to meet them, some exploding at random, disorientating their attackers.

"Back!" He sharply ordered and both of his teammates jumped out of the way. Naruto quickly attacked with his wires, the lines forming into a pincer like shapes around his arms before seeming to solidify.

"_Golden Web: Pincer Web! Entrapping Web!" _He snarled and he jabbed heavily forward exploding the wire into a swirling whirl and capturing both of the chunin. Caught mid-leap the two were unable to defend themselves as Naruto heaved them towards him and forced them face first into the dirt.

"Oof!" One of them grunted. They immediately started struggling against their binding. Shino stepped in straightaway.

"Swarm!" Shino ordered sharply covering them both in his kikaichu. "Devour their chakra!"

"Aargh!" They screamed under the creatures. Kiba sunk down onto his knees panting as Akamaru whimpered and limped over to his partner, giving his bleeding cheek a lick.

"Ran right into the bastards," Kiba said as Naruto's face darkened in concern and anger.

"They exploded out of a puddle, I was warned too late. I proved to be too unprepared… My experience and level of awareness was lacking. I shall endeavor to be even more than the larvae I am now, and pupate in to an adult." Shino stated apologetically. Naruto took in his teammates' appearance and a harsh expression crossed his face. He pulled two senbon out and waved Shino off, the kikaichu returning back to their 'hive' as Naruto positioned his body between the pair. Stabbing the needles into a soft spot on their bodies he watched in satisfaction as they screamed in pain.

"Wh-what did you do?" Sakura said, her face turning faintly green. The dark protective pleasure on Naruto's face scared her. The others, however, were more understanding, though Hinata flinched.

"H-he punctured a pain center," Hinata said using her Byakugan. "I-I don't know what he has on the ne-needles though." Naruto knelt next to them and stroked their hair as they panted pitifully; whining as the poison on those needles triggered their pain receptors over and over, making them extra sensitive. He flicked the senbon and they both arched in agony against their bonds.

"Does it hurt?" Naruto purred into the taller male's ear and earned a whimper in response. "Trust me," he said giving them a gentle pat on the cheek, "You'll feel worse." He then studded their body with the small needles and left them on the ground screaming until they finally collapsed from the pain.

"D-demon," Tazuna stuttered out and yelped in surprise when a heavy hand clasped his shoulder tightly. He turned and met the unhappy smile of the male jounin.

"Why don't you tell me why you have two nuke-nin after you, hmm?" Kakashi requested, "Because, even after seeing all of us they still went _straight for you._"

* * *

"Ouch!" Kiba complained as Naruto gently went over his bleeding gash. He'd been cut twice across the chest and Naruto had impatiently yanked the clothing covering his chest to get at the wounds after finishing with his cheek.

"It isn't poisoned," Naruto said in relief as he laid his hands over it. Sakura watched as his hands started to glow a muted green. Thus slowly closing the wounds through the use of a jutsu she hadn't seen before.

"Wow," she said in surprise, "how did you do that?"

"Medical ninjutsu," Naruto replied. He did all he could and pulled out a scroll and unsealed some medical supplies. He warmed some healing balm in his hand and smoothed it over the bruising and smaller cuts. Kiba winced but sighed as the tingle inducing medicine relieved the pain. Akamaru lapped some water up from a small dish. He'd suffered a bit from exhaustion and bruising from where he smacked into a tree. Luckily, it wasn't out of Naruto's ability to heal and the blond treated him easily.

"How did you learn it?" Sakura asked.

"I took a few classes with Hinata-chan," Naruto answered. "She's got a better sense of it than me, and most of the medicines I have are made by her. She makes them in her free time."

"Impressive," Sakura said giving Hinata a surprised but actually slightly proud smile. Her teammate flushed.

"Thanks, Hinata-chan," Kiba said giving the pale eyed girl a wide grin. "You helped us out a bunch. Naruto's stuff isn't nearly as good as yours." Naruto poked gently at his ribs and he winced. "Ow! I know I'm an idiot but you don—"

"I think you cracked one," Naruto interrupted worriedly. "That's out of my abilities," he said wearily.

"Hinata-chan?" Sasuke asked as he watched and the girl shook her head as well.

"N-no, not possible," Hinata murmured, "N-Naruto-kun might not have a-as an instinctive ability or the By-Byakugan, but he knows m-more than me." Naruto meanwhile drank some water and wiped at some sweat before sighing tiredly.

"We'll have to bind it and see if we can't prevent it from shifting or breaking anymore. Save it for a better doctor or maybe an iryō-nin." Naruto said pulling out some white bandages. "Give me a hand, Hinata-chan, please?" She nodded and helped him wrap the cloth around Kiba's chest. They taped it tightly and helped the boy into a spare shirt. The dark haired girl picked up the battered and ripped shirt and jacket.

"D-do you have some thread and a sewing needle?" Hinata asked Naruto who nodded. "G-good, I'll re-repair it later."

"Ah? Sorry for the trouble," Kiba said with a smile. "It's nice of ya."

"N-no trouble, Kiba-kun," she said and bundled the shirt and jacket up and put it aside for later. Naruto fished out the needle and thread he kept in another scroll and handed that over to her as well. He glanced around and saw his best friend tiredly leaning against a tree.

"Shino come over here," Naruto said, "I have to check you over for injuries." His teammate nodded, walked over and sat in a seiza next to him. "Strip," Naruto ordered and the Aburame sighed before taking off his jacket. Both Sasuke and Sakura stared at the small holes decorating his upper back, chest, and arms in fascination since the mesh shirt hid little. A slight pink appeared over his face and chest and he shifted uncomfortably. Naruto and Hinata focused, however, on the spattering of bruises. Hissing in sympathy, Naruto pulled out a larger jar of bruise balm.

"Damn, ya took a pretty hard hit, huh?" Kiba said wincing in sympathy. He moved to stand and stumbled. Naruto's head shot around and he instantly cursed when he saw some blood dripping from a missed injury to the head. The other boy had gotten hit on the head and he needed to rest!

"Sit down you idiot!" Naruto snapped. "You lost some blood and your brain has enough difficulties without you helping it!"

"Stop calling me dumb!" Kiba barked back. Naruto's gaze narrowed and he swiftly pinned the boy to the ground hand prodding through the shaggy brown hair earning an angry and pained growl when Kiba finally felt this wound. "Let go!" Naruto felt his patience finally break.

"Enough," he hissed, "I do not mind teasing from time to time, but while you are injured, you are in my care and _you will do as I say_!" Kiba stared up widely at his surprisingly scary and very angry friend and did the instinctive thing; bared his neck to him in a show submission. Naruto blinked in surprise but hummed in understanding and nuzzled the tanned skin softly. Kiba whined in response and felt his body relax totally before flushing in embarrassment. The last time he'd been pinned like this had been by his mother and sister, however this was much different than that. Neither noticed the wide-eyed stares they were getting.

"Your teammates are weird," Sasuke said to Shino. The Aburame nodded and winced when Hinata smoothed some of the cream over the bruise covering his stomach and chest. Naruto finally healed the gash on Kiba's head before looking things over.

"Better?" Naruto asked checking the bandaged chest over again, the delicate fingers running over the other male's sides. Kiba nodded carefully and Akamaru huffed in amusement. Naruto gracefully sat back up and sighed in disgruntlement when he realized his bandana was askew. Taking it off he patted his hair to check it real quick before leaving it uncovered to cool off. Sakura blinked at the hair and felt a bit of envy.

"I-I always love your hair," Hinata said when she noticed the golden strands glittering in the light and gave them a shy pet. "It's always so, so pretty." Naruto smiled shyly and softly murmured thanks as he started packing up the medicine. The comment attracted Kiba's attention to his friend's looks and a rather strange expression crossed Kiba's face as he studied his teammate before he glanced away blushing a bit. Akamaru barked something at Kiba and his face turned even redder. Oblivious to it, the three feminine members of the group started chatting over the different medicines, medical ninjutsu, and hair products known to them, bonding unexpectedly. Sasuke and Shino, however, caught the considering look from Kiba and smirked slightly. Kiba saw both of them watching him and paled a bit.

'That,' Shino thought, a bit protectively and humorously, 'was definitely gay.'

* * *

"So, Tazuna-san," Kurenai said sweetly, "you purposefully under-rated a mission because you were too poor to pay? And you're actually the target of a shipping tycoon who is dominating your country and bankrupting it?" Both jounin had taken the man aside after tying up the two chunin and putting them into a special storage scroll for prisoners. Kakashi had thought about sending them back with his largest ninken but Kurenai had reasoned him out of it, stating that they may need the large dog in a fight later. That point, was something the silver haired jounin could concede to.

"Yes," the drunkard said shamefaced. "However, I beg you please assist me. Once the bridge is up, everything will be better. I can pay for the difference." Kakashi shared a glance with Kurenai who jerked her head to the side. The two moved over slightly and put their heads together.

"What do you think?" Kakashi asked, "Should we?"

"Should we what?" Kurenai whispered back, "Go back?"

"No," Kakashi whispered, "Continue on." Her head jerked up and she gaped at him slightly.

"Are you mad?!" She hissed. "And put our genin at risk?"

"It's their first mission with actual enemies," Kakashi snapped back, "I don't know about your adorable little students, but mine will no doubt be in the upcoming Chunin Exams. Your little bubblegum kunoichi is about to get chewed on, used up, and spat out if she doesn't shape up though. She could use this wake up call. If I was you I'd be putting her through a training regimen that could kill to shape her up. All of our genin need the experience anyway." Kurenai grimaced but nodded.

"You think they could use this wakeup call? This experience?" She asked.

"Yes." Kakashi said seriously. "I also think one of my genin will finally be able to take their graduation test," Kakashi stated. Kurenai blinked in confusion.

"Huh?" She asked.

* * *

Naruto glanced up and saw both sensei approaching with the client. "Sensei," Naruto said getting up in his quiet manner. "Tazuna-san," his voiced cooled. The rest of the genin followed his lead.

"Are there any other surprises we need to be informed of?" Shino asked joining his best friend. They both leveled cold gazes on the elderly architect who flinched.

"We've come to ask you all something," Kurenai stated. Seven pairs of eyes settled on her. Sakura looked nervous and uncomfortable, while the only other girl, Hinata, merely looked shy and contemplative. Shino, Naruto, and Sasuke stared at her, assessing and prepared, though the first two's gaze would glide back to Tazuna on occasion and give a chilly glare of silent reprimand. She didn't blame them for that, the man had complained, insulted, and demeaned all of the genin for the past several hours and then led them into trouble by _lying_. She didn't have any pity for that either. Kiba merely looked bored and Akamaru attentive.

"Tazuna has informed us fully of what the mission might entail and the circumstances surrounding the attack," Kakashi said stepping in when Kurenai got caught up in the evaluation from his quieter genin. "There are currently two options," Naruto and Shino instantly zeroed in on what it was, and the former frowned a bit. "One, we can turn around and send a chunin team back for Tazuna, or two we can continue on with the mission and have him compensate us for the difficulties he dealt us. It would mean more pay and more experience, but it would also be more dangerous."

"Why does he need us?" Naruto asked coldly. His hair seemed to respond to his on temper and turned a more metallic gold color, shimmering due to the obvious power pumping through it.

"The country I'm from…" Tazuna started haltingly, "Is currently under the control of a multi-billionaire shipping tycoon with ties to the underworld. He's slowly destroying the land and harvesting all the riches it has. The people of Wave need the bridge I'm building so trade can prosper once more. However, Gato, the trash who's got his hand on the pulse of our country has hired some missing nin to kill me." Naruto's gaze narrowed thoughtfully before turning on his sensei for a brief moment of eye contact and silent conversation before sliding back to the client.

"So it is a combination guard and assassination-infiltration mission now?" Naruto asked. "It would seem that this C-rank has suddenly become a high A instead. A bit more challenging."

"Are you willing to take it?" Tazuna asked. Naruto studied the man.

"I don't know," a calculating look passed through his blue eyes, "what do you think sensei. Would you allow me to cut my teeth on this mission?" Kakashi offered an eye smile. They both knew he was considering it due to the graduation exam Naruto's own teacher in the arts prepared. Judging by the sudden increased interest Shino was displaying, he knew as well.

"Mah, I think this assassination would be within your abilities, Naruto-kun," Kakashi said sweetly. Tazuna blinked before glancing between them.

"Wait… Assassination?" Tazuna said. Somehow he'd missed it when the little blond had said it.

"We're your guards, Tazuna-san," Shino stated, "the best way for a shinobi to protect someone—"

"Is to eliminate the threat," Kiba finished. His gaze sliding to Naruto's in slight worry though he relaxed at the confident look on the blonde's face. "I think Team Seven is in, whaddaya think Team Eight?" Sakura's eyes showed her obvious panic. Hinata's gaze, on the other hand, turned pensive while Sasuke met the other boys' and nodded. He'd continue if he could. Seeing the gesture, Sakura's fear caved under her need to be accepted by Sasuke and she nodded as well.

"Would we be serving as the guard detail only?" Hinata asked her sensei. While she understood that assassinations were necessary, she didn't wish to be the one to do them. She didn't begrudge one of her friends for doing the work either. She just didn't understand it.

"The assassination would fall under Team Seven's direction primarily, we'd only be seeing to Tazuna and his family's protection until the bridge is built and Gato eliminated." Kurenai answered firmly. "No one in our squad has the necessary training for what Team Seven would be doing and the only reason they're offering to is because of Uzumaki-kun."

"C-could we die?" Sakura asked, terrified slightly.

"It is a possibility," Kakashi answered. "However, shinobi risk life and limb in any mission, even D-ranks, and even more so during promotion exams. If you go back your will is still too weak and you aren't prepared to take on anything of more importance. It could be better for you to just retire." The words were harsh and struck the girl seemingly in the stomach as her breath whooshed out and the color drained from her face.

"Shinobi do not go back on their word or turn down missions because they're scared," Naruto said quietly, "Shinobi find their place in their village and build up their strength through their work and efforts. Until you make chunin, Sakura-san, you will be doing field work and similar D and C-rank jobs. It is at the second level of nin that we can begin specializing. Survive this now, pass the chunin exam and you can go into the medic-nin program or become an instructor at the Academy. Many chunin serve as secretaries and desk workers in the Hokage's tower or in the T & I division handling sensitive material after learning they do not suit field work and missions. Genin are hands on always." She nodded. "Use this opportunity to gain some experience and learn just how weak or how strong you are." The pink haired girl seemed to be struck by his words and nodded.

"I'll do it," she whispered and Kurenai glanced at her other two students earning nods.

"Fine then," Kurenai said, "Team Eight will continue on as well."

"You're in our care, Tazuna-san," Shino stated firmly.

* * *

They settled for the night and Naruto took the first watch. He sat quietly on a large boulder on the outer edge of the camp next to the small stream they settled near. His mind fluttered in the cooling night air as he stared at the sky, his shadow clones scoping out the surrounding areas under orders to dissipate if they encountered anyone. His earlier excitement had faded and his mind whirled into worry for his comrades. Pulling his knees up Naruto wrapped his arms around his knees and rested his chin against them contemplatively. His long blond hair had been freed as per usual and fluttered behind him in the cool, soothing breeze. A soft crunch of dirt under a heel had his head going up. He saw his teammate and offered a wave.

"Yo," Kiba called out.

"You're a little early for your shift, hm?" Naruto replied putting his head back on his knees.

"Jus' came to keep ya company," Kiba stated. "Akamaru's curled up in my bag," when he saw Naruto's gaze shifted around him. Naruto smiled and motioned to him to come up. Kiba jumped and landed next to the other boy and took a seat, dangling his feet off the edge.

"I don't have any food for you to eat," Naruto gently teased. Kiba growled and bumped his friend in the shoulder grumpily.

"Jus' wanted ta talk ta ya," Kiba grumbled. Naruto smiled and lifted his head up his blond hair shimmering in a silky curtain. A long lock slithered over his shoulder and pooled between them. Kiba picked it up and curiously ran it through his callused hands. "Soft," he muttered.

"I take good care of it," Naruto said with a smile before it turned into a soft, concerned frown. "Is something wrong, Kiba-kun?" The other boy fidgeted with the silky lock, mindlessly running it through his hand.

"How are ya gonna kill tha' guy?" Kiba asked.

"Worried about me, Kiba-kun?" Naruto questioned softly.

"I can can't I?" He retorted. Naruto chuckled and nodded.

"Of course," he replied before looking away. "I'll seduce him in my Orioke form and give him a kiss of death." The dog user stared at him.

"You're going to kiss him?" Kiba breathed out shocked. "What? How?"

"Well," Naruto teased gently, "you push your lips together tilt your head towards the person and pre—" Kiba turned a bright red.

"I know how to kiss!" He hissed. Naruto giggled burying his face in his knees, shoulders shaking uncontrollably. "Bastard," Kiba muttered. Naruto's sapphire blue eyes peeked out again, wet from mirth. He straightened and actually spoke half-serious, half-playful.

"First," Naruto said running a casual hand through his hair, "I make myself pretty," the blue eyes glittered with growing mischief, "and catch his eye. Maybe I'll pretend to be a geisha… Maybe a prostitute."

"P-prostitute?" Kiba choked out.

"Mmhm," Naruto hummed, "then when I get him alone I slowly get him drunk. Shyly and coyly I will excuse myself to redo my make-up." He taps a finger against his lips with a smile that was slowly growing smaller and sadder, "I smooth some sweet smelling wax sealant over my lips and apply a poison that will transfer and activate with the use of saliva. I return and tempt him into a sweet kiss. I meet his lips and after I make sure he's thoroughly kissed I excuse myself once more." He moved the finger over his lips sadly stroking the fuller lower lip thoughtlessly. Kiba followed the motion. "I peel the wax away, drink the antidote just in case and go back. I keep him company until he's so drunk he leaves or sleeps, then slip away."

"Yo-you're going to kiss him?" Kiba asked. Naruto nodded.

"I could slip something into his alcohol, but a kiss is a part of my discipline," He replied honestly. "Jorōgumo are brides. We give our grooms a kiss of death. No widowers for us."

"A-are all of your kisses deadly?" Kiba queried curiously. Naruto chuckled and kissed him on his cheek.

"Did that kill you?" Naruto said with surprising cheek. Kiba stared at him in disbelief.

"I thought it had been on the lips," stumbled out of his lips making Naruto still. He instantly regretted it. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped when a strange look appeared in Naruto's eyes. Staring at Kiba quietly, seriously, the blonde's gaze moved over his face like a touch. His pale fingers came up and smoothed over Kiba's cheek. Naruto leaned forward and the dark brown eyes widened as something soft pressed against his mouth. The gentle warmth made his eyes flutter close and he pressed back against it, moving his lips timidly against the pressure. He tasted something sweet and he groaned slightly, opened his mouth and lapped at it, wanting more of the flavor. A soft gasp parted the sweet orifice and he slipped his tongue in. The touches eventually ended with Kiba leaning back, his fingers threaded through Naruto's hair, cradling his teammate's head with his tanned hands. The sky blue eyes were nearly black and the pale lips were bruised and red. 'Girly,' Kiba thought. His mouth clashed down on Naruto's again. 'Mine.'

Naruto wasn't sure how it happened, but he was kissing Kiba. He'd learned techniques by watching and hearing descriptions from Sacchi-obaa-san and both women and girls who'd whispered him secrets and skills. It was so different when it was happening though. Kiba had a dark taste, something that was both wild and spicy. The kiss was aggressive and controlling and Naruto moaned in surprise when Kiba nipped his lips making them open once more. He felt his hair being tugged back and he arched slightly beneath the onslaught. His hands came up and clutched the shoulders of Kiba's mesh shirt, his fingers digging into and scratching at the skin, earning a growl. The sound was wild and domineering and Naruto just went limp. Naruto was pulled flush against Kiba and his hands slid up tangling in the other boy's hair. Naruto moaned and felt his tongue tangle with his teammate's own. Kiba growled and nibbled and sucked.

The kisses went on and on until finally, Naruto and Kiba parted and stared at each other in shock, heat and confusion. Slowly both turned bright red and scrambled apart, Naruto falling off of the boulder and onto his back.

"Ouch," he said as he covered his burning face with his hands. Kiba stared in disbelief at the tree line.

"D-did we j-just," Kiba stuttered. Naruto whimpered and nodded, not that the other male was able to see it. "N-Naruto?" Kiba said and scrambled over to look at his teammate. The blond looked debauched. His jacket and his shirt were bunched up showing a smooth and muscled stomach and a flush that went from his bright red face to golden torso. The blond hair was silky and mussed, swirling and spiraling in a wild mess around his face in long streamers. The Inuzuka jumped down and slightly crouched by his friend.

"You okay?" Kiba asked. Naruto nodded in embarrassment and muttered something that Kiba didn't quite make out.

"Want to repeat that?" He asked looking at his friend in concern. Naruto's slender fingers slowly parted and then trailed away from his face. The bright blue eyes stood out even more in the pink face.

"I never did that before," Naruto blurted out. Kiba's mouth dropped open and dried. A curled of pleased satisfaction entered his chest.

"W-what?" Kiba said.

"I never kissed anyone before okay?!" Naruto repeated and saw the other boy looking at him strangely and felt a flash of hurt. "Sorry if it offends you!" He snarled suddenly angry and sitting up. He scrambled back onto the boulder and scrunched into a grumpy ball, back to the suddenly bewildered ninken user.

"W-whoa! Wait just a second!" Kiba snapped back. "You just don't come out and kiss somebody then blame them!" He climbed up next to Naruto and dragged him around partially. The bruised lips were dry and Naruto licked them for a moment before retorting. Kiba, however, was more interested in touching that mouth, instead of what came out of it.

"I kissed you! But you did the same! If you didn't like it you didn't have to do it! You could have shoved me away!" Naruto hissed. "Sorry if kissing me offends you!" The eyes turned suspiciously wet and he buried his face in his knees.

"A-are you crying?" Kiba asked feeling a well of panic come up. 'I should have been listening instead of being a pervert!' His mind yelled at him. 'What the hell did he say? Something about me not liking him?'

"W-whoa hold on a minute, please don't cry!" Kiba protested. He awkwardly shuffled closer and hugged the blond, his legs uncomfortably going around him as he crouched on the bolder behind him. He tugged Naruto back and tightened his hold on the blonde's waist. He held him tightly as the boy wiggled miserably. Kiba finally pinned him close and pressed his mouth against the blonde's ear. Naruto stilled.

"I didn't say I didn't like it," he muttered in Naruto's ear, the warm breath making the wire user to shiver. "I was just kinda shocked y'know. I mean…d'ya even like me like tha'?" Naruto shrugged and peeked up at him, his face confused.

"I like boys," Naruto replied, "but I don't know about that, sorry. I'm just so glad it was you that I kissed the first time." He admitted. Kiba colored in pleasure and rested his head against Naruto's fondly. Naruto's hair was just so soft and silky.

"It wasn't bad for a first kiss, not at all," Kiba replied. "I wouldn't mind a repeat." He could feel Naruto's so soft skin heating up beneath his and grinned, tucking his face this time into the spot where Naruto's neck met his shoulder breathing in the other boy's natural scent. There was the usual bland tree smelling soap that all shinobi wore while on a mission and the smell of the food he'd helped Hinata cook for their dinner. However, under that was a scent of power, wildness, and something he could only term as kindness and sweetness. He took a deep breath trying to lock that smell in his mind forever. They sat that way, Naruto gradually relaxing into the hug and leaning back into Kiba further. The taller boy just kept taking deep breathes, smelling the intoxicating scent.

"I won't enjoy kissing Gato," Naruto said a few minutes later and Kiba gripped him tightly, possessively, in response as he tensed in anger. He forcibly pushed down his need to snarl as well as the wish to beat the crap out of the shipping tycoon.

"I would hope not," Kiba grumbled. He pushed himself even closer and sniffed the hair while plastering his face to Naruto's neck. He wanted to mark the other boy, bite him, but held back. His mother said such things were for married couples, and at twelve he wasn't interested in marriage yet. They sat there quietly, Kiba silently thrumming in anger. Naruto spoke up again though and he listened focused on the words, he didn't want to miss anything.

"Will you kiss me again afterwards? To make it go away?" The question threw Kiba for a loop and he couldn't help the rumble of satisfaction and dominance that erupted from his chest. Kissing Naruto on the cheek and enjoying the flush that turned that gold skin a rose color, he murmured. "I can do that."

* * *

Shino stepped back into his tent and felt a mix of emotions for his 'brother' and teammate. He'd seen the increasing pensive look on Naruto's face and had planned on addressing it; however, Kiba had gotten to him first. Sitting back down on his sleeping roll he blinked in surprise when Sasuke nudged him.

"Everything okay?" He asked as the Aburame settled quietly back on his bed. "Naruto-san wasn't upset like we thought?" Shino shrugged.

"He's talking to Kiba right now," he replied. Sasuke blinked and nodded before pausing and really considering the two.

"He's talking to Kiba or he's _talking_ to Kiba?" Sasuke implied with an arched brow. The last Team Seven member flushed a bit.

"They're…" Shino stalled. "Kiba went to talk to Naruto and they… Well, they were hugging or something when I left," he finished. Sasuke stared at him.

"Did they," Shino flushed bright red this time and nodded. "Well then…" Sasuke said. "I guess it's a good thing Kiba's not the heir of the Inuzuka's then." Shino scowled.

"It's not stopping you with Hinata," Shino replied making the other boy color.

"I haven't done anything like that with Hinata-chan!" Sasuke protested.

"Yet."

Sasuke threw his hard camp pillow at his tent mate.

* * *

Everyone notice the different air around Kiba and Naruto the next day. Akamaru seemed pleased with whatever happened between the pair and made it his goal to keep them together. Time to time they would bump into each other and the whole group would watch as the two boys would simultaneously pink and stammer before separating. It was fairly clear what happened and the group reacted to it differently.

Hinata subtly wiped a little blood from her nose and exchanged an understanding look between Kurenai and Sakura. They'd be watching this pair for a long time and all of the gossip would be spread within the female ranks when they returned to Konoha. Kakashi watched with some worry until Naruto finally got a hold of himself and dragged Kiba away for a few moments. They came back and Naruto was a darker pink and Kiba looking smug and satisfied, obviously having discussed something, or perhaps, _done_ something. At least the jounin knew he wouldn't have to be explaining the Birds and the Bees to his boys. Sasuke and Shino didn't say anything, although the Uchiha just glared at Shino from time to time who smirked slightly behind his high collar in response between glancing protectively at his best friend.

"I'm good to go," Tazuna said as he hauled his pack onto his back once more. The shinobi instantly turned serious and took up the same positions they had the day before. Kiba gave Naruto's hand a quick squeeze and sped ahead with Shino whose bugs blew out in a wide mist like motion. Akamaru barked in excitement and Naruto shot out after the duo taking a position between them and prepared to support them in case they were attacked like they suspected would happen.

Kurenai had all of her genin on standby and Kakashi had moved up. They traveled until the late afternoon when both Naruto and Kakashi instantly tensed. Both of the forward guards came back as a thick fog blew in.

"Down!" Naruto barked when a noise of a blade rushing through the air hit his ears and Kurenai instantly shoved Tazuna down as her team went flat on their stomach in a push-up position. Akamaru came flying in dragging a small rabbit by the ears while Kiba and Shino landed next to their smaller teammate forming a pointed defense, their sensei leaping over them and meeting a flying zanpakuto and forcing it down.

"Shino, Kiba I'm going to need you to try and pin him down, Hinata-chan see if you can't find him with your dojutsu!" Naruto ordered as Kakashi rejoined them. A small swarm of kikaichu fluttered out of Shino's sleeves and out into the surrounding area while both Kiba and Akamaru scented around. Naruto yanked down his own mask and enhanced his senses with a frustrated snarl.

"I can't smell anything over the water," Kiba growled and Naruto nodded.

"Left!" Hinata shouted and Kakashi leapt to meet the sudden slash of a blade. The fog dissipated slightly and they could see a powerfully built man bearing down on the silver-haired jounin. Naruto growled and threw a flurry of senbon and bo-shuriken at the nuke-nin in support. Kakashi moved out of the way and the insects swarmed in attack.

"Team Eight get Tazuna-san out of here!" Kakashi barked and Kurenai nodded. She organized her genin and they left, Sasuke slightly resentful that he'd missed the fight but knowing where he was needed.

"Take him out if you can Shino," Naruto suggested as he ran forward, "_Golden Web: Pincer Web!" _He shouted the wires forming into the familiar pincer shape around his forearms and hands. Focusing his chakra into them the wire started swirling around his arm, "_Drill Spider!"_ Naruto punched under swordsman's guard forcing him to separate from the pair. The tip of the drill brushed the shinobi's side and ripped a series of sharp lines in his body earning an aggravated snarl. He leapt to the side and Kiba was waiting. He snarled "_Getsuga,_" and transformed into a swirling cyclone and hitting the nuke-nin and forcing him back further. The three genin formed into a triangle.

"Who are you?" Naruto said as he flexed his fingers under the drills, stilling the swirling motion.

"Momochi Zabuza, the Demon of the Hidden Mist," Kakashi stated, "He used to be one of the Mist's Seven Swordsmen." Naruto felt his eyebrow go up in surprise and sighed.

"Gato really is a rich bastard," Kiba said from Naruto's right side, "At least three different nuke-nin and all of them at least chunin, got to be costing him a pretty penny."

"That is probable," Shino stated as he spread his hand wide, "_Hijutsu: Mushidama,"_ the kikaichu surrounded the male in a ball and they swarmed.

"Damn!" Zabuza snarled and leapt free. "Troublesome bastards aren't you?!" He flashed through some seals and shouted, "_Suiton: Water Bullets!_(1)_" _He spat out a large series of water bullets at the insects forcing them to break and dodge. He headed straight for Naruto who swiftly threw his drills forward and formed a net. The man charged right into it and Naruto smiled as it grabbed hold of him, ripping into his skin and clinging.

A quick substitution had Naruto cursing, his gaze sharply darting and checking his surroundings.

"Dammit," Kiba growled his clawed hands flexing, "he melted into the mist."

"I cannot see him and I have been unable to plant a female on him yet," Shino said angrily.

"I am a master of silent killing," Zabuza's voice stated echoing through the mist from all direction. "You're strong little genin but you're no match for me."

"How about me?" Kakashi said and intercepted another of his attacks. His hitai-ate was shoved up and he snapped, "_Sharingan_!"

"Oh-ho!" Zabuza said, "Sharingan no Kakashi. Slowing down are you? Taking on rookie genin?"

"No," Naruto said with a smile as he flashed behind the nuke-nin, "he just found some that can keep up! _Drill Spider!"_ He punched forward, "_Ensnaring Prey!" _The wire ensnared him, wrapping him up. "Now Shino!"

"_Mushidama!"_ He growled and the kikaichu swarmed over the nuke-nin. The man was covered in the beetles and melted away into water.

"FUCK!" Kiba snarled his fist punching into the ground. "Akamaru!" He yelled, calling for his partner, who dashed out of hiding and to his side. The dog was still too young for some of the fighting techniques, and was primarily used for his tracking instead. The trio of genin regrouped in front of their sensei who was frowning.

"He escaped." Kakashi said flatly. "We need to catch up with Team Eight and Tazuna. Let's go."

"Hai, sensei!" The five burst into a fast passed and chakra charged run.

* * *

Kurenai pressed Tazuna and her genin towards their escape. They had left the fog behind luckily and the jounin had Hinata out front using her Byakugan at full power.

"Anything?" She asked sharply, her red eyes flashing around. They needed to find a defensible position in case of attack.

"I… Not yet," Hinata said, "however, Hatake-sensei and Team Seven are on the approach."

"Quickly?" Kurenai queried.

"Yes, I… I don't t-think they're ha-happy, they all look serious," she replied. Kurenai cursed.

"Sakura-chan, keep close to Tazuna and be prepared to cover you and the client under the cloaking genjutsu I taught you. Sasuke-kun, be prepared to have cover for us and to intercept an attack. Hinata-chan, I'll need you to assist him. Tazuna, do not leave Sakura-chan's side no matter what."

"Incoming!" Hinata said suddenly, "two people I don't know! They're up ahead, Kurenai-sensei!"

"Send a fireball into that clearing, Sasuke-kun! We need to create a distraction!" Kurenai barked. The boy nodded before charging to the front and flashed through the seals. Leaping into the air he fired the enormous ball of flames forward with a strong blow. Two people appeared and flickered out of the way as the ginormous fireball engulfed the open area. Kurenai flashed through a series of genjutsu and melted into the ground already altering the perceptions of those in the clearing to give her genin an edge. Kurenai merged with the surroundings, her hands flashing through more seals and she engulfed the large swordsman with her genjutsu.

It held him under for a few seconds before it was broken.

"Che!" She hissed. She reappeared and charged him. He intercepted her charge and she altered his perceptions again causing him to curse before melting into the ground as another fireball struck. The male barely countered it with a suiton move and leapt back.

"You're in my circle of divinity!" Hinata announced and charged forward striking at him. The man cursed lowly and dodged separating them and knocking her back violently with the dull edge of his sword.

"Hinata!" Sasuke roared and caught her, skidding back.

"Hinata-chan?!" A familiar voice called and the man hissed in irritation. Team Seven entered the clearing and engaged the swordsman.

"Naruto-san!" Sasuke called for him and the blond separated from the others. Kurenai turned her focus away from them. They had a fight and an unknown person still hiding. Fading into a tree she tracked the chakra signature. She didn't know who this hidden person was, but they weren't going to enter this fight either way!

* * *

Naruto assisted Sasuke in moving an unconscious Hinata further from battle settling her gently on the ground.

"What happened exactly and where was she hit?" Naruto asked gently checking her over.

"She engaged the enemy with her family's taijutsu and got batted away with the back of that huge zanpakuto the man carries," Sasuke answered. "I think it clipped her head and knocked her out that way. Her left arm took the brunt of it but I don't think anything broke."

"You're right," Naruto breathed, "but I need to check her head wound and make sure nothing is cracked. She should be okay." Sasuke breathed out in relief. Naruto deftly undid the girl's jacket, pulling Hinata free and prodding the left side of her body cautiously. The girl flinched when his fingers skimmed her bruises and slowly cracked her eyes open.

"Hey," Naruto said softly, "Hinata-chan?" She blinked at him.

"N-Na-Naruto-kun," she whispered. "I think the force of the hit jolted me."

"Yes, you don't have a concussion," he answered his hands lighting up green as he traced them down her battered body. "I can't heal you fully right now, but I can and am numbing some of the pain and making sure any cracks or muscles tearing is eased in case you need to run and escape."

"A-ah, o-okay," she said weakly. "Thank you, Na-Naruto-kun."

"We'll need to take more of these classes when we get back." The blond said as he helped tuck her away for the moment. Sasuke planted himself next to her.

"I'll stay with her," Sasuke stated. "Do you think I can treat her any while you go back and fight?" Naruto nodded and pulled out supplies.

"Have her take this with water, and start covering those bruises with this, the force of the hit caused so much pain in one moment it knocked her silly for a brief time." Naruto said handling things over. "Make sure she stays awake. I think our sensei and us can take Zabuza down but if things go south and we get too injured to defend ourselves your priority is to get both you and Hinata out of here. Report back to Konoha and see if they can't send an immediate relief squad."

"You'll be fine," Hinata said gripping Naruto's wrist with surprising force. "I just know it."

"I know it as well, but if the mission takes a dive I want you two safe, so don't do anything stupid and stay on your guard. We don't know if there are any more shinobi on Gato's side waiting to fight us." Naruto said before giving her a brotherly peck on the cheek. "I'll see you after the fight so rest up okay."

"Okay."

* * *

Sakura had immediately followed orders and tucked Tazuna and herself into a defensible position and under a genjutsu to disguise and divert the enemies' attention away from them. It wasn't a strong genjutsu in the least, but it was a very subtle and useful one. Focusing her will and all of her meager imagination into it she made them part of the unassuming background mixed with slightly treacherous ground so no one would interested in using their spot as assistance in their attack.

She'd watched the fight and paled dramatically when Hinata had taken that hit. No matter how much they fought over her interest in Sasuke-kun, Hinata was her teammate. She was relieved however when Kurenai-sensei and her team had been backed up finally by Team Seven. Both Shino-san and Kiba-san had struck the man dually from supportive positions while Hatake-sensei had taken him on in the main brunt of attack his second eye revealed. It scared and startled her when he started copying the nuke-nin's jutsu, flashing through matching ninjutsu techniques and fighting him to a standstill. Her gaze flickered over to where Naruto and Sasuke had taken Hinata off in the direction of and she felt even more relief as the last Team Seven member returned.

Naruto-san would have never left Hinata or Sasuke if they were in danger or needed healing.

The smallest genin leapt gracefully over his locked sensei his hands formed into fists, the deadliest kakute she'd ever seen on his knuckles. He punched the large swordsman in the neck and face, piercing the bandages and drawing blood, upsetting the balance in the fight. He used the force of the momentum of his attack to flip over, landed and then charged the small of the enemy's back. Kiba-san joined him in his attack striking quickly with his clawed hands as Shino finally launched his insects.

Kurenai-sensei came back in a crash, bearing another person flat to the ground their kunai braced against each other distracting Sakura from the males' fight. She watched the two twist on the ground grappling awkwardly, since neither was all that familiar with ground work, though Kurenai-sensei was obviously superior in hand-to-hand combat.

"A hunter-nin?" Sakura heard her hiss, "I doubt it!" Kurenai-sensei then reared back a fist and punched down, hitting the enemy across the forehead and knocking them out.

"NARUTO!" A loud call from Kiba-san had Sakura's gaze immediately shot back to the fight with the large swordsman. The blond had crumpled to the ground under a tree he had likely struck, Kiba-san by his side as an angry swarm of Shino-san's kikaichu suddenly amassed and an enraged Shino-san engaged the man forming two clones with his insects and charging them into a fierce melee. Kakashi-sensei also picked it up summoning his own ninken, a massive black one that looked a small, angry mountain, as Akamaru licked at the downed genin's face in concern.

Kiba-san turned and snarled, "I'll _kill_ you." The three prong attack finally took the man down. Zabuza's legs were covered entirely in the insects as Kiba-san raked his clawed hands down the man's back before Team Seven's sensei got through the man's guard and pinned him to the ground, his kunai at the man's neck.

"You hurt one of my students," Kakashi-sensei said coldly, "I should kill you, but right now you're good for something, so I won't. Surrender or I'll make you." Kiba-san's foot came down with a cruel press on the man's sword arm, forcing the man to release his sword and perhaps even breaking his wrist. He then kicked the large zanpakuto away from both pinned assailants before returning to Naruto-san. Shino-san was already by his side.

Kurenai-sensei and Kakashi-sensei bound the two before Kurenai-sensei called out to Sakura saying, "You can come out now."

"Thank kami," Tazuna-san whispered as Sakura released the genjutsu and dashed to Naruto-san's side as well.

"What happened?" She asked afraid he was critically wounded or dead.

"Fucker got him with a lucky kunai and some shuriken," Kiba-san growled. "Knocked him back like he did with Hinata-chan earlier, but this time the person he hit wasn't caught and he ended up slamming into a tree." Kiba-san ran a hand softly over Naruto-san's face. Several of Shino-san's kikaichu crawled over the blond before returning to him with information.

"The bugs report nothing is broken, but he does have a mild concussion. We'll have to give him some headache medicine and cover him entirely in some healing balm later but he isn't that much worse than that, Kiba." Shino-san stated, his shoulders slumping in relief.

"Thank kami," Kiba-san whispered before pressing his face against Naruto-san's neck and gave it a relieved sniff. Akamaru joined him on the opposite side before licking the skin Naruto-san left uncovered once more. The long lashes of the boy fluttered before the lids slit open and sky blue eyes gazed around dazed.

"M'head 'urts," he mumbled. "Kiba stop sniffin' me, c'mon Akamaru don' lick me…" he grumbled as the boy fully buried his face in Naruto's chest.

"Fuckin' scared me!" the boy protested. Naruto-san sighed and lifted a tired hand to pet the boy's hair.

"I'mma be fine," Naruto-san muttered, "So sorry for worryin' you though, Kiba, Shino, Akamaru, everybody."

* * *

Sasuke helped Hinata back to the clearing and froze in worry when he saw Naruto on Kiba's back asleep.

"He okay?" He asked Shino as he held Hinata up. The left side of her body ached with every step and she had crumbled twice already while moving. No doubt she'd need a day of bed rest and some more pain medicine to be back up for fighting once more.

"He will be," Shino stated and Sasuke could hear the worried hum of the Aburame's kikaichu. "He took a hard hit like Hinata-chan did, but this time no one saved him and he collided rather hard with a tree. Nothing broke, but he's in a lot of pain over most of his body and has a slight concussion as well. He's alright to sleep though, and Kiba told him to get on his back so he wouldn't slow us down. He'll need some medicine and food after sleeping for a day, maybe a hot soak in onsen, but he'll be fine. He heals ridiculously fast too, so everything will be alright." It sounded more like Shino was trying to comfort himself over his downed teammate, but the Uchiha let it go.

"You caught the guys?" Sasuke asked when he noticed the bound nin.

"Yes," Shino said, "like with the two chunin they'll go into a prisoner scroll until we get back to Konoha and then turned over to the T & I division for secondary and intensive questioning. Why? That is because we are unable get much out of a field investigation since they'll lie unless we can prevent it." Sasuke nodded feeling his own interest peak. He'd never known much about investigations, his own father never mentioning his work as Police Chief. However, like any Uchiha, who wasn't insane, he had interest in justice and the law. It was what drove his strong sense of vengeance, though that was beginning to be redirected into a more positive form of progress with the help of Naruto, Hinata, and Kurenai-sensei.

"You guys okay?" Kurenai asked as her two returned genin, looking them over with a critical eye.

"Yes sensei," Hinata replied her gaze worriedly flicking over to Naruto as he was gently carried on Kiba's back, Akamaru giving up his favorite carrying spot and watching the blond from a position at Kiba's feet. A massive black ninken sat next to Kakashi guarding the two enemy shinobi before they were finally placed into a prisoner scroll.

"Naruto-san is fine," Kurenai assured them, "the second we reach our destination he'll be able to rest and recover, as will Hinata-chan."

"T-thank you for all your hard work," Tazuna stuttered. The whole battle had scared him silly. He'd thought his heart had stopped both times the two kids, who weren't that much older than his own grandson, got batted away. The second time, he had even thought the boy was dead. The crunch of the small blond boy's body into the tree had been sickening.

"We're not done yet," Kiba growled, "our mission is just getting started. Now let's get moving. We've got to get you home, your bridge up, Gato killed, and all his goons beaten to a pulp."

"You're itching for a fight," Shino stated.

"Like you aren't," Kiba retorted.

"Stop bickerin'," Naruto grumbled from the dog user's back giving the boy carrying him a tired bump on the head with a loose fist.

Sasuke, Hinata and Tazuna wouldn't admit how much that single sentence and movement relieved them.

Kakashi tucked the scrolls away, knowing they'd have to do an intensive full debriefing when they got back. This was no ordinary mid-mission reclassification it was quickly growing to be a colossal clusterfuck. "Ready to go?" He asked. They nodded and he gave an eye smile. "Let's go."

* * *

"Tsunami I'm home!" Tazuna called out as he entered the small cottage.

"Otou-san!" A rather beautiful woman cried out in joy. "Thank goodness you're back safe and sound!" She embraced him tightly. After a few moments of closeness she stepped back and eyed his company in curiosity. "Who are your guests?"

"This is Team Seven and Team Eight, the two groups that were kind enough to escort me here. They're helping me with Gato, they're super strong! Shinobi-san this is my daughter, Tsunami," Tazuna said, he glanced around. "Where's Inari?" He asked.

"Here grandpa," Inari said from the stairs. He stared at the eight shinobi and one ninken behind the bridge builder in the door and said to them, with surprising confidence and sobriety. "I don't know why you bothered. If you fight Gato you'll just die too." He then turned around and dashed up the stairs, disappearing. Tsunami and Tazuna both colored in embarrassment.

"I feel like punching him," Kiba stated with a glare after the little brat, "Anyone else?" Unsurprisingly Shino and Sasuke raised a hand. What was surprising, however, was that Sakura did as well. Hinata and Naruto napped from their places against their respective teammates, Sasuke having hauled his weary teammate onto his back like Kiba had with Naruto earlier.

"He's had a hard time, please forgive him," Tazuna's daughter said.

"Doesn't need to be a dick about it," Kiba muttered. "Does he think he's the only one who's got served a bad hand?" The woman shrugged helplessly.

"Probably," Shino stated.

"Where are we sleeping sensei?" Sakura asked Kurenai.

"The woman and girls can sleep in our spare room," Tsunami offered. "We can't house everyone however."

"That's fine," Kakashi said. "Shino, Kiba go start on the tents alright? We want to get Naruto settled as soon as possible. Sasuke-kun will carry Hinata-san up to the girls' room, I'm sure."

"By the dock?" Shino asked.

"That'll do." Kakashi replied. He smiled at Tsunami under the mask and gave a slight bow.

"Why do I feel slightly envious that you and the other boys won't be sleeping under the same roof as that little punk?" Sakura muttered to Sasuke forgetting her crush in her irritation. The boy glanced at her in surprise but a bubble of laughter escaped, surprising them both. Sakura was too wrung out to make something of it, however. The only male team member of Team Eight however felt a connection to the girl for the first time, instead of the usual annoyance and aggravation.

"Because you should be," Sasuke said with a slight smile.

"Haha," she said flatly.

* * *

Kiba awoke the next morning, looked to the side, and panicked. Naruto wasn't in his sleeping bag next to him. Sitting up, he scrambled out of his own and was relieved when he caught sight of Naruto stretching and laughing with a playful Akamaru in the early morning light. He grinned and strode out, sneaking up on Naruto who played in the shallow water, hair gathered into a loose bun at his nape, splashing Akamaru in rolled up pants and a white muscle shirt.

Getting close enough he wrapped his arms around the other boy and swung him around earning a startled yelp.

"Naruto," Kiba growled into Naruto's ear as he hugged him against him. Kiba buried his face into the soft, sun warmed skin of Naruto's neck. "Scared me yesterday." Naruto melted into the comforting hug and nestled back against him.

"Sorry," Naruto replied.

"I can't believe you took that hit, those hits," he muttered remembering how the metal stars had punched into the blonde's chest before the kunai had cut dangerously close to his face. The blow throwing him into the tree hadn't made him happy _at all_. "Scared the hell out of me."

"I'm a shinobi," Naruto said as Kiba let him back down. Naruto broke the tight hold and turned around to face the other boy. Kiba wrapped his arms around Naruto's waist again and tugged him against him firmly once more.

"Yeah," Kiba muttered, "Pissed me off though." Naruto sighed but rested his chin on Kiba's shoulder, nuzzling his nose into Kiba's short hair. Kiba rumbled as he sniffed Naruto's scent. There was no hint of pain, or tiredness in Naruto's usual smell he realized. He stepped back and looked him over curiously before yanking Naruto's shirt up.

"Kiba!" The boy protested in shock tugging at his shirt, trying to get it down. Kiba just ran his hand over the golden skin in amazement.

"No injuries or anything," he muttered. He swatted at Naruto's hands and continued his inspection. The sound of angry buzzing filled his ears a few moments later and Kiba glanced up. Twitching in irritation and standing by his tent flap, Shino glared at Kiba.

"Stop molesting my imouto," he growled. "_Hijutsu: Mushidama._" The kikaichu suddenly charged him covering his body entirely. He scrambled out of the water as the beetles started nipping at him instead of sucking out his chakra. It freakin' hurt!

"I'm not a girl or your little sister! You don't have to protect my honor." Naruto protested coming out of the water as well. Kiba collapsed by last night's banked fire and the insects left him, returning to their hive. Kiba glared at both his teammates for a moment before looking at Naruto with a pout.

"You didn't save me!" He whined. Naruto gave him a droll look.

"I didn't know you needed it," he replied. "Did you not just help defeat a jounin level nuke-nin yesterday? Or was that just me?"

"Bastards."

* * *

A/N: Now you must be wondering how Kurenai overpowered Haku. Frankly, Haku is at chuunin level, perhaps tokubetsu-jounin at best, while Kurenai is a solid jounin-sensei, meaning she's **_stronger_** than the Hyoton user. If you look up their levels in the book, Kurenai is about eight to nine points higher, and is more even along the board unlike Haku who has high ninjutsu, speed, intelligence and handseals. Kurenai's lowest score is a two, and has an average of 3.625 per category.

Zabuza's defeat was possible because I figure Kakashi is that capable. Plus he has **_three_** able fighters with him and doesn't have to worry about Tazuna since Kurenai had him protected.

Terms & Definitions:

1) Suiton: Water Bullets. This one I came up on my own. It's similar to the one with mud bullets, but honestly I couldn't find a move on the Wikipedia that I like enough to use. So since it's a made up technique I'm listing it.

2) Suiton: meaning water technique for those of you who are unfamiliar with the Japanese versions.


End file.
